Many communities along the U.S. East Coast have started to evacuate in anticipation of Hurricane Irene, which is expected to gain Category 4 strength this afternoon. Major cities like Washington, Philadelphia, New York and Boston are located right in storm’s projected path,  leaving millions of Americans concerned about hurricane insurance, disaster preparedness and what they just might come home to should they choose to evacuate.

Fortunately, now more than ever, homeowners have access to building products and materials created to withstand extreme weather conditions, giving them a fighting chance against unforeseen catastrophes like Hurricane Irene.

Storms like Irene are why Marvin Windows and Doors offers its StormPlus products, which offer all the luxury and elegance Marvin is known for, but the brute strength to take on hurricane winds upwards of 140 miles per hour. For instance, the Impact Zone 3 products were created for coastal areas along the Gulf of Mexico and the East Coast. All IZ3 products are tested to endure wind-borne debris and intense changes in pressure. As a show of strength, IZ3 products must endure an 8-foot 2 x 4 stud shot at 50 feet per second.

To better understand the importance of a fortified home and disaster preparedness, we recommend visiting disastersafety.org for tips on weathering Hurricane Irene and future storms to come. Among other things, they have created this video that shows what hurricane-force winds can do to a home whose windows break compared with a home whose windows stay intact.

We sure hope everyone out there is safe!

Most of the nation is enduring a brutal heatwave this week, which isn’t surprising given it’s July. Homeowners face the annual summer quandary: How to keep the house cool without racking up a huge energy bill.

Thankfully, Inhabitat has some advice for staying cool in a sustainable, energy efficient ways as the heat wave rages on. Here are a few often overlooked recommendations:

Keep the heat out. Window treatments are about more than aesthetic. “Covering windows with light colored blinds inside helps, especially on west windows that allow much more heat to permeate later in the afternoon.”

No matter where you live or what type of home you live in, severe summer storms can quickly put your home out of commission. Being prepared, even just a little bit, is the smart thing to do. Here is a checklist and some advice to make sure Mother Nature doesn’t leave you in a lurch.

Flashlights, batteries and a good old-fashioned, battery-operated radio. This is the most basic of basic needs when the power goes out and the best way to keep informed on what is going on. It’s a good idea to have at least three working flashlights in your home with fresh batteries and a spare set for each one.

Back-up power, another useful asset to have in reserve, comes in many shapes and sizes. Portable, gas-powered generators can keep pumps, refrigerators and some lights going when the power is out. It’s important to buy the right size, place it at least 10 feet away from your home and never in an enclosed area. Also, you’ll need proper-sized extension cords — 12-gauge minimum to power a large appliance like a refrigerator or small AC unit.

These units can range in price from $600-$1,500. Whole-house installed generators are the easiest ways to keep your home running.  These systems kick on automatically and can power most if not all of your home depending on the size of the unit. They typically run on natural or propane gas. They range in price from $4,000-$15,000 installed.

Food and water: It might sound a little apocalyptic, but this is an easy one to do. Keep a six-pack of water for each person in your home. That’s about a two to three day supply and allows you some breathing room. As for food, keep it simple and choose things that can last — again, for a two to three day supply. Granola bars, canned fruit and raisins are just a few examples.

These few steps can keep you prepared and ready, and the best thing that could happen is that you’d never need any of this.

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Snow and winter weather seem to be in the news a lot this week! We at MLuxe care about your health, safety and happiness, so here’s some information about how to stay safe and sane in the Snowpocalypse!

Charles and Hudson makes a good point in a recent posting: there’s a lot you can get done around the house during a snowstorm. Keep your pipes from freezing and check for drafts around the doors. You might be going stir-crazy around the house, so do some fun stuff like creating a patina on a mirror.

Of course, you’ll need to keep your driveway and sidewalks clear, so get prepared for some shoveling! Those of us from northern climates know the special exhaustion that comes after shoveling. CNN has a good run-through of the problems that come from shoveling and what to do to prevent injuries.

Stay safe and keep warm!

Photo courtesy of letmeFLYAWAY on Flickr.

For our readers in southern coastal regions, hurricane season is always a time for concern. And no matter your location, any sort of severe weather can be cause for concern. We might not be in the thick of hurricane season yet, but it’s never too early to begin your storm-proofing your home.

According to CNN.com’s Gerri Wilson, there are some relatively easy steps that can be taken to make your home as ready as possible for hurricane and storm season. Here are a few:

Get your things inside. Take all the furniture and other outdoor equipment you might have on your patio or deck and bring them inside when strong weather threatens. This also includes trash cans, grills, toys and potted plants. It’s important to keep them from becoming flying objects that can cause additional injury or damage during storms with high winds.

Check your trees. Checking for damage or disease in the trunk or major limbs of your trees before storm season hits is important. They may be near power lines or leaning too severely, which makes them more vulnerable during storms, so they should be looked at and the proper authorities should be contacted if damage or disease is seen. This is a step that could be considered now and it’s a significant step to be taken.

As for windows, Wilson suggests that if you live in a storm-prone area, you may want to think about installing impact-resistant windows designed to withstand flying debris. Marvin’s StormPlus windows and doors meet coastal impact standards and are available in a wide array of beautiful styles.

Photo courtesy of CoreBurn on Flickr