Dan Bigman, Forbes Staff
Storm Shutters
About $15,000/$600 per window, installed.
Expensive? Yeah. But heavy-duty aluminum storm shutters are certified to withstand 9-lb object hitting them at about 35 MPH. Tell me you wouldn’t feel safer right now if you had that standing between you and Sandy.
Garage Door/Door & Roof Reinforcements
About $2,000
Beefing up the most crucial elements of a house in high winds isn’t as expensive as you think. In the garage, a contractor can add additional horizontal bracing, as well as heavy-duty rollers and other hardware. The price runs about $600 a door. In the attic, adding additional structure to the gable ends of a roof will cost you a hundred or so more per end according to FEMA guidelines. Also, changing doors so they open out, not in, will help secure them in a storm.
Natural Gas or Wood Stove
Likely $5,000 installed.
Widely available, insures heat regardless of what the weather brings. Bonus: you can cook on it if need be.
Natural Gas Or Diesel-Powered Backup Generator
Likely $6,000 installed
This is where we roll in the Rolls and really rack up the costs, but oh, would this be awesome today or what? Made by a variety of well-known vendors, from Briggs and Straton to General Electric, the natural gas version requires a plumber to make the connection to the gas and electrician to patch it into the house’s main breaker box. But once it’s in, you can live fully disconnected from power lines—until the natural gas stops.
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