Hurricanes are known to damage both lives and property. This is why it’s so important to be prepared for hurricane season before it hits. Doing so will help you minimize its impact, which is why you want to start right away. Once a hurricane watch has been issued it’s too late. Here’s what you need to do ahead of time.
Have an Evacuation Plan Ahead of Time
Homeowners in coastal communities aren’t the only ones who may have to evacuate ahead of a storm. Anyone who lives in a mobile home will also need to do so. Although the local government will give you instructions about how to evacuate, you should still create an evacuation plan ahead of time. Doing so will help you locate the closest shelter, safeguard your pets, and make sure you have everything important ready to go with you.
Stock up on Non-Perishable Supplies
Once there’s been a hurricane warning issued everyone will be heading to the store. You don’t want to be part of that crowd so stock up on the following items ahead of time:
- Batteries
- Flashlight
- Candles and matches
- Prescription medication
- Three days of bottled water for your entire family, including your pets
- Non-perishable food that doesn’t need to be cooked
- A first aid kid
- Basic tools like a wrench and hammer
- A portable NOAA weather radio
When you evacuate make sure you take these things with you. Throughout the rest of the year, make sure you watch for any expiration dates so you can replace these items.
Inventory Your Personal Property
Take an inventory of all the items in your home so you’re certain you have enough insurance to replace these items if necessary. This will make the claims process go faster and smoother for you too. Additionally, you’ll need this information if you need to apply for disaster aid after hurricane season. Of course, this is also why you should make sure you have this list when you do evacuate.
Review Your Insurance Policies
You’ll want to check your insurance policies. Doing so will help ensure that you have enough money to repair or rebuild your home and replace your belongings after hurricane season. Make sure you have a good understanding of these policies and the repairs that are covered. Most will also pay for additional living expenses (ALE) as long as they’re reasonable and you’ve been forced to relocate. However, they won’t cover flood or wind damage so you should consider getting insurance policies for these too.
Take Preventive Measures to Safeguard Your Home
During hurricane force winds landscaping materials are transformed into missiles that damage property. Sometimes even your roof will get damaged. This is why it’s worth the expense of retrofitting your home to protect against these things. Things you’ll want to do here include:
- Use shredded bark instead of gravel or rock
- Make sure your garage door can withstand wind pressure or you could have your roof blown off
- Cut down weak branches and trim shrubbery
- Install storm shutters or have plywood panels ready to use
- Make sure your exterior doors are built to withstand hurricane season having three or more hinges and at least a one inch long dead bolt
- Make sure your sliding glass doors are made of tempered glass
- Seal any vents, outlets, garden hose bibs, or locations where cables and pipes enter your home with urethane-based caulking
You shouldn’t overlook the importance of having a good, solid roof over your home before hurricane season arrives this year. Leave this to the professionals at Done Rite Insulation. This is something they’ve helped many homeowners with over the years and you should be next.
