Construction & Contractors Articles
In the cult classic movie "Sharknado," thousands of agitated sharks are picked up by a waterspout and deposited in the middle of a flooded New York City, where they attack the city's freaked-out inhabitants. Although the likelihood of a storm depositing even a few sharks onto your house is slim, there have actually been many reported cases over the years of animals, such as cows, being picked up by tornadoes and carried some distance away. In addition, there have also been numerous reports of animals raining down from the sky. In 1957, for example, fish, crayfish and frogs reportedly fell from the sky in Alabama. So what can you do to protect your home against a possible "Sharknado"-style storm?
Install Impact Windows
One of the best ways to protect your home against blown-animal damage is to install impact windows on your house. These windows are designed to withstand Category 5 winds and wind-blown debris strikes with heavy-duty frames and shatter-resistant glass. Even if a shark -- or other animal -- was to strike one of these windows, it might shatter, but an inner membrane within the unit will keep the glass in place. Another reason why this is important? Because once a window breaks in a home, it can allow hurricane- or tornado-force winds to fill your home, which could actually cause your roof to blow off and the interior of your home to be destroyed. This could lead to:
Plywood
If you don't have impact windows, you could try covering your windows with plywood. Unfortunately, this works best in hurricane-prone areas where you will have enough warning time to put up plywood. In a "Sharknado" situation, you probably won't have time to do so.
Brace Your Garage Door
Your garage door is the largest entryway to your home and, unfortunately, it is often the weakest point on your house during a hurricane or tornado. According to Fox Business, garage doors are responsible for 80 percent of the wind damage caused to homes. If your house has an older garage door, you should hire a professional to add a bracing system to it so that it can withstand high winds and possible shark strikes.
Protect Your Home from Flooding
Obviously, sharks need water to get around, so if you live in a flood-prone area near the ocean, you might actually have reason to fear a shark invasion. Could a strong storm surge, for example, sweep in a few sharks to your neighborhood? It's possible. Although scientists have recently discovered that sharks may actually flee to deeper waters when they sense a big barometric drop before a big storm. In any event, you should protect your home with sandbags or other flood deterrent products to keep water -- and possible creatures -- from entering your home.
In Conclusion
More than likely, even if a shark were somehow to enter your home during a "Sharknado"-style storm, it would probably be more dazed and confused than hungry. But it's always better to be safe than sorry. So if you find a shark in your home, it is best to leave your new friend alone. It may bite you just because it is highly agitated by the strange circumstances it has found itself in. If the shark is still alive and you want to have it removed from your house, consider calling animal control or a local aquarium for help.
Share16 December 2014
For years, my wife and I debated on what we wanted to do with all of the spare land in the back of our house. We were lucky enough to buy a house on an extra-large lot for a great deal, but the land was "going to waste" for quite a while. One day, we finally decided to have a guest house built on it, and now that the house is finished, we wish we had built it long ago. We are now renting it out for some extra income, and it is helping us save for retirement. I have always been fascinated by construction, so I enjoyed watching the professionals build the guest house and learned a lot during the process. I decided to fill some free time by blogging about the experience and sharing some construction info I learned during the process. Come back soon!