Opening Your Windows During a Storm Is an Urban Myth That Can Make Damage Worse, Experts Say – Here’s What to Do Instead
Ever thought about opening your windows during a storm? Experts reveal the truth behind this popular storm-proofing hack
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If you've ever needed to protect your home from severe weather or even hurricanes, you've likely heard of a rather popular urban myth: opening your windows to relieve indoor air pressure.
Yet, with critical weather warnings sweeping in this week, experts are urging homeowners not to open windows during a storm. While this tactic was once believed to prevent destruction during high winds when preparing your home for a thunderstorm, it can, in fact, have the opposite effect – and opening your windows might just be the reason why your home ends up more damaged in the aftermath.
Why Do People Open Windows During a Storm?
When storms and strong winds arrive, many of us fear structural damage to the exterior of our homes. However, the threat of growing internal air pressure is also a concern, and this is why homeowners started to open their windows and doors.
'The idea that you should open windows during a storm came from early pressure balance theories,' explains Mark McGrath, Owner of Creative Remodeling of Orlando. 'People believed a house could "explode" from internal pressure if air couldn’t escape.'
With pressure mounting outside, homeowners assumed that their properties required a kind of equalizing force to prevent the windows or even the roof from being damaged from the inside. According to experts, however, the opposite is true.
'Opening windows lets wind and rain pressurize the interior, which greatly increases the chance of roof lift-off and structural failure,' says Mark. 'One breached opening can lead to major roof damage within seconds in strong winds.'
Yet opening windows doesn't just create more internal pressure – crucially, it also leaves your home vulnerable to damage from the storm itself.
'The reality is that opening your doors and windows will lead to more destruction from wind, rain and flying debris,' says Leo Alabovitz, Founder and CEO of JMI Windows and Doors. 'Even if your roof and walls are able to take the pressure, it can lead to a lot of costly damage.'
How to Protect Your Home During a Storm
Instead of opening windows and doors during a storm, it's best to keep internal pressure stable by reinforcing any weak spots and making sure that your home is secure. It's wise to start by investing in storm-proofing essentials like insulating foam, which you can find at Walmart, as well as hurricane clips, like this pack from Amazon, which will help you fix boards or shutters onto your windows to protect from strong winds.
'Your home should act like a sealed shell,' says Mark. 'The goal is to prevent internal pressurization, not "relieve" it.'
With this in mind, experts are, in fact, urging homeowners to close their windows.
'Keep all windows and doors fully closed and latched,' advises Mark. 'It's also important to reinforce your garage doors and seal siding gaps and exterior penetrations against wind-driven rain.'
While pressurization is a common concern, damage created by broken glass and debris is also a serious consideration – which is why it's best to prepare your house for extreme weather before storm warnings arrive.
Mark recommends installing 'impact-rated windows or hurricane shutters' to prevent wind damage, but he emphasizes that windows shouldn't be reinforced using tape.
'Don't tape your windows: it doesn’t stop breakage and it actually creates larger shards of glass,' he explains. Instead, focus on reducing the threat posed by debris and wreckage by 'trimming trees and remove loose yard debris beforehand'.
What to Shop
This expanding foam creates a water-resistant seal to prevent mildew, mold, drafts, and leaks. It's suitable for indoor and outdoor use on a variety of surfaces including wood, vinyl and stone.
These carbon steel rafter straps help secure wooden rafters, roof trusses, and deck joists. They can reduce corrosion and weather damage all year round, but they're particularly helpful during storm season.
According to Mark, garage doors are a 'common first failure point' during severe weather – so a barrier threshold is a great way to prevent debris and wind-driven rain from entering your garage.
Steel brackets will help to stop your garage door from bending or cracking in strong wind. This one measures 16 feet, but there are a variety of sizes available.
Constructed from high-grade carbon steel, these heavy-duty window clips allow you to secure boards or hurricane shutters onto your windows to protect them from wind damage.
These permanent screw anchors help you secure metal or plywood hurricane panels directly to your masonry. They can stay in place so there's no need to worry about re-installation every time a storm hits.
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