This is why you should always close the interior doors in your house before a hurricane

Aris Folley
Updated ·1 min read

People in the southeastern region of the United States are preparing for Hurricane Irma as it continues to batter its way to the coast, and part of that involves them securing their homes for the storm.

But one of the most important steps residents can take to protect themselves and their homes from damage in a hurricane is so simple that you may not even know about it -- close your doors.

RELATED: Preparing for Hurricane Irma

Following rigorous scientific wind testing, the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety is urging homeowners to close all interior doors, in addition to windows and exterior doors.

It may sound like common sense to some, but when a storm like Irma brings strong winds, homes are placed under extreme pressure. And wind entering a home through an open window can place even more pressure on the roof of a home.

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"The pressure in your home can build like air in a balloon," said Julie Rochman, IBHS president and CEO, "eventually causing the roof to fail and blow apart, which – particularly in a hurricane – allows water to come pouring in."

Closing your interior doors can help disperse pressure throughout the home and reduce the overall force stacked up against your roof -- basically your first line of defense against Mother Nature.