How To Protect Your Home During Hurricane Season
Staff
In this article, we aim to help you protect and preserve your home. As we look ahead to what scientists say will be a very active hurricane season, we are reminded of our goal to help you protect your home. That said, we’ll be providing you with some tips and reminders to prepare you for the upcoming hurricane season in North Carolina. Are you fully prepared for this hurricane season? There is no need for your home to be left hanging out to dry, H2O Drying Solutions has got your back!
Water damage to homes is often an unavoidable aftermath of a hurricane. Despite this, there are still steps that one can take to minimize this damage. One of the smartest things that you can do to limit the water damage during a hurricane is to make a plan of action well in advance of steps that can be taken to protect your home. Some steps that can help you to protect your home are:
- Check whether or not your property is located in a flood zone. Knowing whether or not your property is located in a flood zone, as well as the classification of that zone, is a great way to assess the level of risk your home faces of being affected by water damage.
- Secure your windows. Securing your windows by installing permanent storm shutters or boarding them up with plywood helps to prevent the strong winds of a hurricane from damaging them and creating an opening for water to get into your home.
- Relocate your outdoor furniture to the indoors. Relocating any furniture from outside of the home that cannot be secured eliminates the possibility of it being carried by strong winds and causing damage to the structure of your home.
- Remove hazardous trees & tree branches. Inspecting your property ahead of time to remove any trees or tree branches that look like they may easily be dislodged during a hurricane can prevent any potential damage that would be caused by them colliding with your home.
- Clean your gutters. Ensuring your gutters are cleaned and cleared of debris ahead of time will aid in proper drainage and decrease the risk of water damage.
- Check your roof. Checking your roof for existing leaks or loose shingles ahead of time gives you the opportunity to have them repaired, which lowers the risk of water being able to enter the home during a hurricane.
- Ensure your home is properly insured. While most homes in hurricane zones have an appropriate hurricane insurance policy protecting them, it is important to note that hurricane insurance does not cover damage caused by flooding. Therefore, it is important to make sure that you have a separate flood insurance policy to protect your home against water damage.
What to do during a storm?
In order to protect your home, you need to ensure your life is protected first. Here are a few things you should be doing to keep you and your family safe during a storm:
- Stay indoors. Ensure whatever room you have chosen to take shelter in has little to no windows or glass doors and is free of glass objects. Your aim should be to find a room like a closet on the lowest level of your home.
- Have a survival kit at hand. While a survival kit may not be able to prevent water damage, it definitely could save your life and property. Aside from the food and water that you will need for approximately the next 72 hours, be certain to pack flashlights, sanitary supplies, emergency cell phone and charger, first aid kit, and fire extinguisher.
- Unplug unnecessary electrical outlets and turn off other utilities. If the weather gets severe, you may need to turn off your electricity to prevent electrocution and appliance malfunction in the event of a flood.
- Get a portable radio. You need to be fully aware of what is going on around you while you’re unable to leave the safety of your home. Stay in the know with up-to-date weather forecasting and local advisories from reliable sources.
- Lie under a sturdy object. This will provide greater protection from falling objects.
- Identify items that you need to keep safe. Once you’re sure your family is safe, it is time to turn your attention to your tangible assets, such as important documents because trying to get original documents replaced could be a tedious task.
- Never go outside until it is announced the storm has passed the area.
The heightened emotions caused by enduring a hurricane can often leave one feeling confused and asking themselves, ‘What Next?’ Some useful pointers to help with navigating the aftermath of a hurricane include:
- Stay safe and assess the damage. Protecting yourself and your family should be a priority when assessing the aftermath of any natural disaster. Hurricanes can cause many hazardous situations to occur, therefore it is important to turn off all power and wear protective gear when assessing your home for damage.
- Call your local water restoration company. One of the first important steps that one can take after a hurricane is to call a restoration contractor and have them assess the damage suffered. Due to its time-sensitive nature, water damage restoration efforts should begin as soon as 24-48 hours after a home has been cleared for re-entry to reduce the extent of the damage. The earlier restoration efforts begin, the sooner you can return to living in your home. In most instances, the extent of the damage goes beyond what you can handle on your own, so it’s important to have the number of a good water restoration expert close by.
- Dry out your home. After all of the water is removed from your home, you should then focus on drying out any damp objects or surfaces to reduce the chances of mold.
- Check your home for mold. Mold is difficult to remove and can begin to grow in as little as 24 hours after flooding from a hurricane has occurred. Due to the potential health risks associated with mold, it is best to have a professional assess the situation.
- Return to your home. Once all restoration efforts have been completed, all that’s left for you to do is move back into your clean, dry, and safely restored home.
Dealing with a hurricane is never easy but having the right information and being prepared not only helps to ease the stress but helps protect your home too. This hurricane season, if your home or business suffers water damage due to flooding, H2O Drying Solutions is ready and equipped to help you recover. Call us today on our 24-hour line at (877) 251-1752!
