It’s no secret that we deal with some pretty severe weather throughout the year, but that’s no reason to disregard a coastal property altogether. While we’ve had some hurricanes here or there, there are things that you can do to protect your home and family. Setting up a plan and preparing the house ahead of time will put you ahead of the game when it comes to insurance questions, and repairing any issues after dramatic weather. Here are some simple ways to prepare your home and family for hurricane season.
Brace your garage door.
Many people think that the roof is the most vulnerable part of the house but it’s actually the garage door. Most garage doors are not reinforced and if Nguyen gets into the garage it can create a positive push with the structure creating a negative pole. This is what causes roofs to fly off so it’s important to brace your garage door to prevent any more extensive damage to the house as a whole.
Secure Windows and doors.
Broken windows can let wind and rain in and they can also increase the pressure under the roof, again causing the roof to fly off. Storm shutters provide the best protection but boarding up windows when there’s a storm on the way can help as well. Avoid taping your windows because it literally does nothing. Giving a stockpile of plywood on hand is also a good option, especially if there’s a run on these materials at the home improvement store.
Protect your roof.
Hurricane straps can ensure that your roof is bolted to the rest of your house. Inspect your roof frequently for any missing tiles or shingles.
Trim the trees.
Make sure that your home is protected from any potential trees falling threatening the building or vehicles. Trees are one of the major factors that cause insurance claims and broken limbs can land on you, your home or neighbor’s houses so consider tree removal if the trees are getting a little out of hand on your property.
Take inventory.
While the sea is calm, take inventory of everything you have. Take photos, write down approximate values, and take pictures of the house so in case you do need to file a claim you can get things back to normal faster. Be sure to keep the inventory in a safe place away from your home or online.
Update your insurance.
Talk to your homeowner’s insurance about additional insurance such as flood insurance, catastrophe insurance and what your insurance actually covers. Be sure to ask a lot of questions and often adding a little bit more insurance to your existing policy is no more than a few dollars a month.
Check for foundation cracks.
Cracks in your foundation may not always be visible but can be the root cause of potential flooding. Walked the perimeter of your home and check for signs of stress in the concrete or pillars.
Install surge protection.
Power surges can occur instantly during a storm and can damage appliances and your computers. A power surge protector installed on your electrical panel and power strips inside can help protect your property.
Have a plan in place.
Make sure everyone in your home is well aware of the procedures during a storm. Make sure you map out escape routes, what to do if family members are not altogether, and have an emergency bag ready to go with additional shoes, cash, blankets, any needs for pets such as dog or cat food, and a copy of all of your major insurance cards and identification cards.
Living on the Florida coast is definitely beautiful but as with any place across the country, there might be a slight drawback. However, we love it so much that we just want to be prepared should the occasion arise.
