The federal government declared 86 major natural disasters in the first nine months of 2011, more than in any full year in the past. Ten of those disasters topped $1 billion in damage, and at least three—Hurricane Irene along the Atlantic coast up to Vermont…the Virginia-based earthquake…and wildfires as far north as Minnesota—remind us that disasters can strike homes that are not built to withstand them. There’s no way to make a house completely disaster-proof, but there are home-improvement projects that can significantly limit damage and/or improve the odds that a home will survive. Not all of these projects make financial sense for every home owner, but many provide considerable protection at a reasonable price.

Helpful: Insurers sometimes offer discounts to home owners who invest in home-protection upgrades. Continue reading →