Property Owners Can Protect Their Homes From Hurricane Damage by Jonathan Rodriguez (NAPSA)—Nostate is more prone to hurricanes than Florida—for Floridians, it's not “if” but “when”the next hurricane will strike. Then, once the storm passes through, the real work of recovery be- gins. In the wake of Hurricane Irma,it’s more important than ever for homeown- ers to knowtheir optionsas they rebuild, strengthen and upgradetheir homes. It is possible to learn from past disasters and take steps to protect your home from future storms, but learning the hard way can be incredibly costly. It takes only one storm surge or a 150-mph wind gust to demolish a home. Property owners may avoid theseterrible experiences if they know how to prepare for extreme weather. And, keep in mind, it’s not just hurricanes that can cause real damage. Powerful winds, for exam- ple, can damage roof shingles and drive debris through doors and windows. It doesn’t matter if the wind is caused by a hurricane, a tornado or a severe thunderstorm; the result is the same. The most common anti-hurricane measures includeinstalling storm shut- ters or upgrading to impact-resistant windows and doors, designed to im- prove a home's oddsofsurviving hurri- cane season unscathed. However, many lesser-known projects can bring just as muchbenefit, if not more. Under-the-ra- dar improvements such as storm-ready roofing and tie-down systems, hurricane-ready shingles, seawall installation and gable-end bracing can increase the odds of withstanding hurricane season. ‘These upgrades could help you rest easier knowing your homeis protected from the harshest weather. The cost of making these improvements, however, can be high. Fortunately for many Floridians, there are financing options available that can make improvementsless costly. You can protect your home now from the next hurricaneto hit Florida. PACE—orproperty assessed clean energy—financing is a way to help Floridianscreate a storm-resistant home with no up-front costs. Instead of taking out a bank loan, homeowners can leverage their home equity to pay fortheir eligi- ble retrofit, then repay the amount over time ontheir property tax bill. Eligibility is based on the homeowners’ equity in their home (amongotherfactors) and not on their credit score, proof of employment, incomeorfinancial statements. Ideally, the improvements financed through PACEwill lower—and perhaps even eliminate—the cost of post-storm repairs. ‘The storm-proofingfeatures installed with PACE financing could pay for themselves throughouttheyears. Named oneof the top 20 “worldchanging” ideas by Scientific American magazine, PACE financing also creates jobs, promotes economic developmentand. protects the environment in communities in whichit’s been approved by state and local governments. Learn More To find out whether your storm pre- paredness or energy efficiency projectis eligible for PACE, contact YgreneWorks at (855) 901-3999 or info@ygreneworks. com,or visit www.ygreneworks.com. Mr. Rodriguez is CEO of American Storm Protection Corporation.
