Do you feel as though a natural disaster is pending? If so now is the time for you to take steps to protect your home. If you don’t then you might find that you end up paying a small fortune just to keep your property in good shape at a later date. Repairs can cause lasting damage, but it can be avoided if you take steps to secure your home now.
Reinforce Your Windows and Doors
During a hurricane, doors can fly off and you may even find that loose debris can even break your windows. If you want to do something about this then make sure that you install some wind-resistant doors and windows. If you want a temporary fix then you can try and board up your doors and windows with some plywood. If you do this before you expect a storm to hit you will see a huge improvement in your home’s safety.
Find Gas Lines
Another proactive thing you can do is locate any water or gas lines. When a storm is coming, you need to try and turn your home’s gas and electrical connections off so you can stop water from flooding. Water and power lines, if you leave them unchecked, may well cause additional damage to your home. Make sure that you disconnect everything before you leave the property.
Use Sandbags
Sandbags are great for diverting water. If you place them around the doors and in areas that might be flood-prone it is a great way for you to stop water from seeping into your home. This is especially important during a hurricane. Of course, if you are experiencing a storm surge this is a critical step to take. If you have a stormwater tank that needs repair now is the time to get it repaired.
Photo by Vincent Sébart
Secure Your Furniture
If there is outdoor furniture on your patio or in your yard you should try and make sure that you tie everything down before a storm hits. At the end of the day, any loose items such as sporting equipment and even grills should be moved inside. If you can do this then you will be able to protect your home. If possible, double-check any yard tools or toys that might be left outside too. This will make a major difference to how safe your property is.
Prune Big Trees
You also need to trim any big trees you have around your home. If you have heavy branches that overhang your home’s roof then this can cause significant problems. It can also cause injury to the people inside your home. If you want to keep your roof safe then prune any trees that are around the property and take the time to ask your neighbors to see if they can do the same. If you are in an area that is prone to fire leave space between your home and any foliage you might have cut down. By doing this, you can avoid unnecessarily adding fuel to a fire.
Photo by Philippe Donn
Secure Heavy Furniture
Earthquakes can easily be powerful enough to tip over any heavy furniture you have. This includes appliances such as refrigerators. If you have items that can fall over, this could cause major issues for pets and young children. If you live in a zone that is prone to earthquakes secure your furniture to the walls with brackets. You also need to make sure that nothing can be damaged if something does fall over.
Fire Retardant Plants
If you want to make things easier on yourself then another thing you can do is buy some fire-retardant plants. Creating some defensible zones around your home and making use of cement and stone is an excellent idea. Ice plants, sumac and shrub apples are ideal. If you have poplar or cherry trees then these tend to be less flammable than pine or fir trees, so try and make sure you keep that in mind. If you have dried-out grass in piles then this can add fuel to the fire too, so hose it down or make sure that you move it to a different area.
Do you feel as though a natural disaster is pending? If so now is the time for you to take steps to protect your home. If you don’t then you might find that you end up paying a small fortune just to keep your property in good shape at a later date. Repairs can cause lasting damage, but it can be avoided if you take steps to secure your home now.
Reinforce Your Windows and Doors
During a hurricane, doors can fly off and you may even find that loose debris can even break your windows. If you want to do something about this then make sure that you install some wind-resistant doors and windows. If you want a temporary fix then you can try and board up your doors and windows with some plywood. If you do this before you expect a storm to hit you will see a huge improvement in your home’s safety.
Find Gas Lines
Another proactive thing you can do is locate any water or gas lines. When a storm is coming, you need to try and turn your home’s gas and electrical connections off so you can stop water from flooding. Water and power lines, if you leave them unchecked, may well cause additional damage to your home. Make sure that you disconnect everything before you leave the property.
Use Sandbags
Sandbags are great for diverting water. If you place them around the doors and in areas that might be flood-prone it is a great way for you to stop water from seeping into your home. This is especially important during a hurricane. Of course, if you are experiencing a storm surge this is a critical step to take. If you have a stormwater tank that needs repair now is the time to get it repaired.
Secure Your Furniture
If there is outdoor furniture on your patio or in your yard you should try and make sure that you tie everything down before a storm hits. At the end of the day, any loose items such as sporting equipment and even grills should be moved inside. If you can do this then you will be able to protect your home. If possible, double-check any yard tools or toys that might be left outside too. This will make a major difference to how safe your property is.
Prune Big Trees
You also need to trim any big trees you have around your home. If you have heavy branches that overhang your home’s roof then this can cause significant problems. It can also cause injury to the people inside your home. If you want to keep your roof safe then prune any trees that are around the property and take the time to ask your neighbors to see if they can do the same. If you are in an area that is prone to fire leave space between your home and any foliage you might have cut down. By doing this, you can avoid unnecessarily adding fuel to a fire.
Secure Heavy Furniture
Earthquakes can easily be powerful enough to tip over any heavy furniture you have. This includes appliances such as refrigerators. If you have items that can fall over, this could cause major issues for pets and young children. If you live in a zone that is prone to earthquakes secure your furniture to the walls with brackets. You also need to make sure that nothing can be damaged if something does fall over.
Fire Retardant Plants
If you want to make things easier on yourself then another thing you can do is buy some fire-retardant plants. Creating some defensible zones around your home and making use of cement and stone is an excellent idea. Ice plants, sumac and shrub apples are ideal. If you have poplar or cherry trees then these tend to be less flammable than pine or fir trees, so try and make sure you keep that in mind. If you have dried-out grass in piles then this can add fuel to the fire too, so hose it down or make sure that you move it to a different area.
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