With hurricane season still in full swing, many homeowners across North Carolina are seeking to prepare their homes to weather any more storms that might come. Here are a few easy ways to prepare your home for a hurricane so you can be ready before disaster strikes.
Prepare a Home Inventory
In the event of a natural disaster, it is a good idea to have a detailed inventory of important and valuable items in your home. This inventory will help you determine if important items have been lost or damaged during the hurricane and will assist you when you are filing insurance claims to get the items replaced, especially if you are forced to evacuate your home. If you can, take photos of valuable or important items with your phone and store them online. That way, if need to file a claim, you don’t have to worry about item descriptions or finding photos of the items you lost.
Remove or Secure Outdoor Furniture and Items
With high winds and massive amounts of rain, even the most innocent of yard clutter can turn into dangerous projectiles. Before a hurricane or large storm strikes, put outdoor furniture and other outdoor items inside your home or in an enclosed storage space. If you cannot bring items inside, place items like tables and chairs on their side and secure them together, and push larger items against walls where they are less likely to do any damage to your home.
Have Your Home Emergency Kit Prepared
Whether you will be forced to evacuate or home or ride out the storm in your house, it is always a good idea to have a home emergency kit prepared and stocked well in advance. You should have items such as water and nonperishable food for your family and pets, flashlights and weather radios with extra batteries and other items essential to keeping you and your loved ones safe and comfortable during the storm and for the days afterwards. To learn more about how to build a home emergency kit, visit https://www.nchfa.com/sites/default/files/page_attachments/Emergency%20Kit.pdf
Learn How to Shut Off Your Utilities
During large storms such as hurricanes, wind and water damage can cause issues with your utilities, including electricity, plumbing, sewage and other systems. Because some of these problems can be dangerous and costly, be sure you know where your utility shutoffs are before the storm hits and make sure you know how to turn off your systems in the event of an emergency.
Secure Entrances to Your Home
In the event of a hurricane, your home is most vulnerable at its openings. That means the largest dangers are present near your doors, windows and garage doors. Before a storm hits, secure your windows with shutters or plywood, seal your doors against water leaks and close your garage door so it does not get damaged.
Clean Out Your Gutters
Cleaning your gutters out can be one of the best ways to protect your home from water damage, although it is one of the most easily overlooked ways to prepare your home for a hurricane. Take the time to clear your gutter systems of debris and ensure they are draining properly so that rain water can run right out. Clogged gutters could spell disaster if the water backs up into your roof and into your home.
Preparing for a disaster is one of the best ways to make sure you, your family and your home stay safe during a hurricane. For more information on how you can prepare, visit www.weather.gov.
If you or a loved one has been impacted by Hurricane Florence, North Carolina has resources that can help. For more information, visit www.nchfa.com/about-us/hurricane-resources.
