Summer, winter, fall or spring can all supply their own special versions of severe weather and the reality is that mother nature doesn’t always tell us when, where or how bad these storms might be. That is why you should make sure your home is protected to the best of your ability before disaster strikes. Below you will find some simple tips for protecting you, your home and your valuables.
- Make sure that you understand your home insurance policy; chat with your insurance supplier to understand exactly what you have and have not got covered.
- Set up and adhere to a home maintenance schedule. Check things like your roof, windows, doors, downspout positioning, and for blockages in eaves on a regular basis.
- Ensure your lot has proper grading around your house so that water drains away from the basement walls.
- Keep all your trees healthy! Remove any dead or weak branches from your property.
- Examine your property (before severe weather is heading your way!) to ensure it is safe and free of hazards.
- Know where your valuables are. It’s also ideal to know the value of each item, serial numbers, purchase dates and to have pictures or videos of each item.
- Keep all of your important documents (including those from the above tip) in either a safe deposit box or a fire-safe box.
- Landscape your yard with native plants and vegetation that resist soil erosion.
- Depending on the forecast (such as, high winds) you may want to bring your lawn furniture and unfixed items inside or at least move them to a location where they won’t damage you or your home if they become airborne.
- It’s always a good idea to have an emergency kit handy. Consider including items such as a generator, food, water, blanket, flashlights and a first-aid kit.
- Prepare a disaster protection plan. Consider the following: a) if something happened to your home, where would you go? b) where would you take your pets? c) where would you meet your family if disaster struck and you weren’t together at the time?
- If flooding is about to happen turn off the electricity and gas.