I've seen a couple neighbors do exactly that—reinforced shingles plus hurricane clips. Honestly, it didn't seem like overkill at all, especially after the storm we had last year. Their roofs barely budged while others had shingles scattered everywhere. If you're already putting in the effort and cost, adding clips isn't too much extra hassle, and you'll probably sleep better knowing you've done everything you can...
We did clips on my uncle's place a couple years back—honestly wasn't convinced at first, seemed like extra fuss. But after seeing the neighbor's roof peeled back like a sardine can while ours stayed solid...yeah, clips are worth the afternoon of hassle.
Clips definitely help, but don't overlook windows and doors. After our last storm, neighbor's roof held fine but the wind-driven rain wrecked their interior through leaky windows. Anyone here upgraded their windows for storms—worth the investment or just hype?
Upgraded windows can definitely make a difference, especially if your current ones are older or already showing signs of wear. I've seen plenty of roofs hold strong only for the homeowner to discover their living room turned into an indoor swimming pool thanks to leaky windows and doors. Impact-rated windows aren't just hype—they're designed to handle wind-driven rain and debris better than standard models. But hey, if you're not ready to drop serious cash yet, at least check the seals and caulking around your existing windows...sometimes that's all it takes to avoid unwanted indoor water features.
Couldn't agree more about checking seals and caulking first. Last summer, I noticed some water pooling near my sliding door during a heavy storm. My first thought was "great, time for an expensive upgrade," but after poking around, I found the problem was just old, cracked caulk around the frame. Spent maybe 10 bucks and half an afternoon redoing it myself, and haven't had an issue since.
That said, I've seen firsthand how much impact-rated windows can help during serious storms. My neighbor upgraded last year—she used to get nervous every hurricane season, boarding up windows and all that hassle. Now she's way more relaxed because those windows are solid. Honestly kinda jealous...maybe someday I'll bite the bullet too. But yeah, if you're not ready yet, at least make sure the basics are covered first.
