Suppose you live on the coast or any other area prone to heavy winds and hurricanes. In that case, you must have a contingency plan that will help you handle each step throughout the process.
The main idea is that you should prepare yourself before it is too late. At the same time, you must be vigilant and check out weather conditions. That way, you can clean up your yard, prepare an emergency kit, and board up windows before it reaches your area. We recommend you check here to learn how to prepare for a cyclone.
According to statistics and reports, hurricanes are affecting various regions across the US. Although the storms happened once in a few years before, in the last period, they are typical parts of each season. Besides, hurricanes are directly affecting households in the vicinity, meaning you should prepare yourself for the worst-case scenario.
Since your goal is to prevent significant damage and maximize your family’s and home’s readiness for the season, you should be one step ahead and think about the supplies you need so you can react as soon as you notice a potential problem.
Things You Should Handle Before Hurricane
Preparation is the essential process that will provide you peace of mind and allow you to keep your head above the water no matter what happens. Making a thorough plan is essential for ensuring the best course of action, meaning each family member must follow the guidelines and understand evacuation protocols.
Creating a thorough plan along with a maintenance checklist will help you act as soon as you notice potential problems. That way, you will protect your family members and household. You should know that specific details on the readiness plan depend on the location you are in and storm exposure, but you should think about these factors beforehand.
1. Clear Rain Gutters
You can do it yourself or call professionals to handle the process as soon as possible. Generally, you should call gutter cleaning experts at least once a year, which will prevent other issues from affecting your household.
Still, you should think about doing this before hurricane season comes, which will directly reduce the chances of water damage. By finding professionals before the season, you can rest assured because they will remove debris that may lead to clogs, which is a common reason for water damage, mould, and other issues.
If you wish to avoid professional cleaning services, we recommend you install gutter guards, which will prevent debris from entering the system. Although guards are great for keeping large and small debris from reaching inside, we recommend you check it from time to time to determine the level of cleanliness.
2. Deal with Windows
The most problematic issue that may happen during severe storms and hurricanes is flying debris that can damage windows and cause glass to fly around and wreak havoc. Therefore, you should be as vigilant as possible. If you wish to learn more about a safe place to be during a hurricane, we recommend you visit the link we shared with you.
The first thing you should do is check them for potential damage. You should conduct regular window maintenance and repairs, which will prevent water from entering your home. At the same time, you can implement storm windows over the ones you currently have, which will provide you with additional protection.
When you hear that a hurricane is approaching, you should use plywood to board up your windows. Of course, having plywood with exact measurements for your windows and doors is essential preparation. On the other hand, you can find a company to help you board up, but you will end up paying a significant amount for the process.
3. Roof Inspection
Roof inspection is not something you should do by yourself, especially if it requires climbing. Instead, you should find a roofing company that will provide you with a thorough inspection, which will help you understand the current state of your roof and if you should replace something before the storm arrives.
At the same time, you should conduct a professional inspection after the storm, especially if you are in a direct area. That way, you can prevent water leakage issues, which may result in mold infestation and other structural problems that may affect your family’s wellbeing.
Of course, you can pay for insurance coverage that will protect your roof from potential issues such as storms and hurricanes. Most home warranty policies come with the chance to add roof protection, but the premium will be higher than before.
4. Generator
After a severe storm or hurricane, you can expect for power to go down, meaning you must handle tasks without electricity altogether. If you live in direct areas, the outages may last for days, meaning you should have an alternative ready for your specific situation.
The essential factor for being ready for an outage is equipping your household with a diesel-powered generator. The first thing you should do is find the one that will meet your needs and requirements. The next step is keeping it ready by conducting regular maintenance, ensuring you have enough diesel for a few days of operation.
If you own a solar generator or battery where you can store the excess amount of electricity your panel makes, you can use it instead of a diesel-powered option. The main idea is to find a battery that can store enough energy to ensure you have it for a few days.
We recommend you combine solar-powered batteries and diesel generators for the biggest effectiveness and efficiency.
5. Trim the Trees
As mentioned above, the main problem with severe storms is heavy winds that will cause debris to fly around and wreak havoc. That is why you should keep the bushes and trees in your yard in perfect condition, meaning you should call an arborist at least once before the season to inspect the trees and handle unhealthy areas that may break during a storm.
Keeping bushes and trees under control will ensure they remain as healthy as possible. Besides, you will prevent dead branches from flying on your household, especially because they can be dangerous to property and people in areas with high winds.
