There are many ways to prepare for storms and other natural disasters. Some homeowners have put together a basic survival kit—including water, nonperishable food, candles and extra batteries—while others have purchased residential backup generators.

Manufacturers also offer many types of products to protect your home and its occupants. They range from inventive window coverings to complete, interior fortified safe rooms lined with the material used in bulletproof vests.

Residential storm damage begins with strong winds that attack the integrity of roofing, windows and both entry and garage doors. As winds increase, and driving rain is added to the equation, building products begin to fail and pervasive water begins to make its way in.

Still stronger winds—as in a Category 3, 4 or 5 hurricane with winds ranging from 111 to more than 155 mph—rip away exterior products. Flying debris may cause more harm, so that homes are left seriously exposed, damaged and vulnerable to major devastation, with their occupants at risk.

New storm-oriented products also include specially designed nails and fasteners with hurricane-strength holding power; stronger and more impact-resistant wood sheathing and tougher exterior siding products; and a number of do-it-yourself, easy-to-install kits that strengthen existing garage doors against being blown in by severe winds.

Devices that cover and protect window openings were among the first products offered to protect homes from storm damage, but new systems are still being engineered and introduced almost daily. These range from easy-to-install protective covers (either heavy, solid sheets or clear, see-through, tough hybrid plastics) to shutters of all types, up to and including motorized roll-up metal units, with rain and/or high wind sensors. The latter go or roll into action to protect windows, whether the owner is home or not.

All these window coverings are alternatives to the purchase and installation of numerous sheets of plywood—which is often scarce in last-minute or short-notice situations.

Today, homeowners and manufacturers alike are thinking way beyond simply boarding up when heavy weather threatens. They are investing in built-in everyday protection that not only offers peace of mind for one's home and family, but in many cases also offers insurance benefits and energy efficiency.

First, there are tough roofing products that stay in place during severe winds. A strong, durable roof is a home's first line of defense during a major storm or hurricane. The majority of storm-related damage is not caused by actual structural failure, but rather by water being driven in—which, in turn, can and often does lead to serious mold problems.

Next is the drive to toughen up, rather than cover up, the No. 1 weak spot in every home: fragile windows. A line specially designed to resist heavy weather – called StormBreaker Plus – is now being offered by Simonton Windows. It features both double-strength glass, reinforced with a tough vinyl inner-layer, and a number of new design features that both strengthen and seal the surrounding sash and frame.

Various impact-resistant glass configurations are now available with combinations of protective materials and technologies, such as using one pane of tempered glass and one pane of impact-resistant laminated glass. A durable inner layer, sandwiched between pieces of the laminated glass, prevents the glass from being shattered by flying debris—much like car windshields. The glass may fracture but it will not break out of its frame.

Besides impact-resistant, double-strength tempered and laminated glass, tougher and better-engineered window frames and sashes are being offered, with strong seals to keep nasty weather out. These, together with upgraded hardware, all help make once highly vulnerable conventional windows a good defense against whatever Mother Nature decides to throw your way.

Entry and patio doors have also been vastly upgraded and engineered to better fend off severe weather. A storm-resistant line offered by Therma-Tru Doors – called the Tru-Defense System – has been designed and constructed to withstand the most severe weather conditions. Its components and engineering maximize the seal between the door and frame to virtually eliminate both air and water infiltration. Added protection and new storm-resistant features now include composite materials such as fiberglass—which adds strength, impact-resistance and eliminates wood rot. Numerous design and engineering improvements create a better and stronger seal between the door and frame to reduce air, wind and water penetration, including better seals for the bottom of the door.

These new heavy-weather resistant windows and doors can stand up to very fierce storms and help protect a home and its contents from damage and those inside from injury. Some of these new storm-resistant products have caught the attention of the National Accreditation & Management Instituteand and are NAMI-certified, tested and approved.

Whether it’s in response to global warming or simply better TV news coverage, America’s homeowners are truly on a personal “storm watch.” Today, rather than being resigned to repeated “boarding-up and cleaning up,” homeowners are instead actively “gearing-up” – with an exciting array of specially designed “always in place” heavy weather products, engineered with built-in durability and true storm resistance for greater peace of mind.