What You Should Know About Weather-Resistant Homes

Article overview

• Growing need for weather-resistant homes: With extreme weather events increasing across the country, homeowners are seeking ways to protect their significant financial investment from floods, storms, tornadoes and other natural disasters.
• Key features for weather resistance: Whether building new or retrofitting existing homes, focus on durable materials like metal roofs, impact-resistant windows, reinforced foundations with proper drainage, weather-resistant siding and safe rooms—with costs ranging from $100-200 per square foot for prefab options.
• Financial and safety benefits: Investing in weather-resistant upgrades could reduce storm damage repair costs (typically $3,000-7,000), lower home insurance premiums, preserve property value and, most importantly, keep families safe during extreme weather events.

From record-breaking heat waves to powerful storms and wildfires, extreme weather is becoming part of our everyday lives across the country. In 2024, there were 27 weather events with losses exceeding $1 billion each, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information. We’ve seen homes swept away by floodwaters, collapsing under the weight of snow and ice, and flattened by tornadoes. Now more than ever, homeowners are looking for ways to protect their homes (a significant financial asset) from extreme weather incidents.

While no home can ever be completely weatherproof, there are building materials and design choices that can put homeowners in a better position when the next storm comes. Creating a weather-resistant home isn’t just about surviving the next big event—it’s about helping to reduce damage and keep your family safe no matter what Mother Nature sends your way. 

What is a weather-resistant home?

A weather-resistant home is designed and built to withstand various extreme weather conditions, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and high winds. The goal is to minimize damage and ensure the safety of people in the home during these events. This involves using specific materials, architectural designs and construction techniques to enhance resilience during an extreme weather event.

New construction

When designing a home from the foundation up, you’ll have the ability to add features that will lessen the risk of the home sustaining damage during extreme weather. You don’t need to build a home that can withstand damage from all weather, just the weather that is typical in your area of the country. Some areas to consider:

• Roof: If heavy snowfall is common where you live, consider building a house with an angled metal roof to avoid snow buildup and ice dams. Metal roofs are also popular in tornado- and hurricane-prone regions, as they are more durable and able to withstand damage from heavy debris. Also, consider the design of the roof when building. Hip roofs have four sloping sides that meet at a ridge or point, making them better able to sustain high winds.
• Foundation: Supporting the base of the home, foundations can be an impediment when flood waters rise. Venting of the foundation can allow water to pass through beneath the structure, equalizing the pressure between inside and outside. Foundations can be reinforced with steel rebar to increase the strength of the concrete foundation. Homes can be raised on piles driven deep into the ground, anchoring the foundation and resisting lateral forces from wind and water.
• Walls: The choice of materials is important when building in areas prone to extreme weather. If water gets behind traditional siding, it can damage the home’s frame. Consider materials like steel-reinforced concrete, fire-resistant steel siding and weather-resistant plywood when building.
• Windows and doors: Flying debris and high winds can wreak havoc on standard windows, allowing water and debris to enter a home. Impact-resistant windows have glass between reinforced polymer layers, similar to auto glass, which protects the window from breaking in a storm. External storm shutters and reinforced frames add extra protection and stability to windows and doors.
• Safe room: New homes can be built with a storm-resistant safe room, where family members can gather during a tornado. Here, you’ll want to store food, water and other necessary items that would be helpful during an emergency.

Building a weather-resistant home can be significantly more expensive than building a standard home. Prefab and modular weather-resistant homes are a less-expensive alternative to a custom-designed weather-resistant home, often costing in the range of $100 to $200 per square foot. Factors such as size, floorplan and building materials can increase the cost. Other costs, such as delivery and installation fees, should also be taken into consideration. 

Retrofitting an existing home

It’s not always financially or logistically feasible to build a new home to protect yourself from weather emergencies. However, there are things you can do to upgrade your current home to make it more weather-resistant. The average cost to repair a home after a storm is $3,000-$7,000, according to Insurance Claim Recovery Support, but excessive damage can certainly cost more.

A yearly home energy audit can help you find areas where your home could use some upkeep and improvements. Check the insulation as well as structural elements like beams, joists and trusses. Seal drafty windows and doors. Remove vegetation from around your house and check for dead limbs on large trees.

If you are looking to make improvements on your home, these are some key areas you can focus on:

• Site grading: Ensure your property slopes away from your building structures and toward sewer or stormwater systems to prevent water from pooling around the foundation. Utilizing French drains can be a good option.
• Roof: Upgrading an existing roof can keep water from entering the home during a storm. Be especially mindful of areas where snow and ice may collect. Installing hurricane ties (metal connectors that reinforce the connection between the roof truss and the exterior walls) is a way to shore up your roof against high winds.
• Windows and doors: Replacing windows can not only protect you from windstorms and flying debris, but it can also reduce your overall energy consumption throughout the year. You can also add storm shutters to windows and doors to act as a barrier when a storm is coming.
• Electrical system: Replacing traditional outlets with weather-resistant outlets or weather-resistant ground fault circuit interrupters can help protect your outlets from damage due to water infiltration. 

In addition to making your home safer to live in, you might be able to lower your home insurance premiums by upgrading your home. Replacing your roof can reduce the risk of water and structural damage, and it often results in a lower premium. Replacing single-pane windows with impact-resistant glass and storm shutters can also reduce your premium. Check with your insurance agent about home improvements you are considering.

Preparation brings peace of mind

You can’t always predict when the next storm is coming. But every home improvement, from reinforced roofs to impact-resistant windows, adds another layer of protection between you and the forces of nature. Whether you’re starting fresh with new construction or making upgrades to an existing property, investing in weather-resistant features can save you thousands of dollars, preserve your home’s value and—most importantly—keep you and your loved ones safe.