Weakness of My Personal Residence to a Hurricane. Research Paper

Weakness of My Personal Residence to a Hurricane
Name
Institution
Weakness of My Personal Residence to a Hurricane
Vulnerability Assessment
While I have not faced any hurricane since I moved to Chicago, Illinois, it is important to be prepared. There are various vulnerabilities that I have identified in my residence that would need to be addressed in case of a hurricane. Here is a list of the vulnerabilities:
Doors
The back door in the house has some openings. When the door is closed, some opening is visible and this could cause the pressure of the winds to get inside the house. The residence also has average doors made of wood and hinged on the wall with some metal plates and screws.
Windows
The windows in the residence are made of glass. Glass windows are susceptible to damage especially when there is wind-borne debris. Also, broken glass is a safety hazard for the people inside the residence because it can cause serious damage. Glass windows are also a vulnerability because when they break, they let strong windows to come into the house that can cause damage to the interior.
Garage Door
The garage door at the residence may also be a vulnerability. The garage door in the residence is made of lightweight steel sheet that is stamped similar to a raised panel door. While this serves me perfectly, in case of strong winds and flooding, the door could easily break.
Roof
The roof is in the residence is made of asphalt shingles. While it looks appealing for the residence, it is not strong enough to stand a hurricane. After checking the roofing material, I discovered it is 3-Tab (60 mph to 70 mph) shingles. Though a quick Internet search, the shingles are likely to be ripped off the load during strong winds and this can cause leaking into the house (Simmons, 2018).
External Risks
There are two trees in the yard that are close to the house. These could cause damage if they fell on the house during a hurricane. The porch also has some overhangs attached to the roof. I found them when I bought the residence. The weight of the overhangs can damage the roof during strong winds and pressure.
Reasonable Measures
Reinforcing Doors and Windows
It is possible to conduct some reasonable modifications in the house. Staring with the doors, rather than doing an overall reinstallation because of the openings, it is possible to do some structural changes to eliminate the risk of openings. The door can be reinforced to the wall by adding ...