How To Get Your Home Prepared for a Disaster !
Being prepared is perhaps the most important factor when disaster strikes. Depending on your geographical location, you may have never been in a natural disaster. Others, in regions prone to hurricanes, violent storms, or earthquakes, have plenty of experience. No matter what your experience level is, though, taking care of a few simple tasks should make you a master of preparedness in no time. When planning for a disaster of any kind, two your top priorities should be getting to know your area better and purchasing the appropriate type of home insurance. In spite of what you may think, your standard home insurance may not cover specific types of natural disasters, such as floods or hurricanes.
Get to know your particular city and region. Look at government maps that show flood-prone areas or check to see if you are anywhere near water. That quiet stream in your neighborhood could turn into a roaring river with enough rainfall. If you are new to an area, you may not realize that there are frequent storms. Areas like the southeastern United States are known for hurricanes and strong twisters. New England residents face nor’easters and the occasional tropical disaster, such as hurricanes or strong cyclone systems. New disaster threats may come as unexpected surprises for new residents, so be sure to do your homework.
While they are one of the most violent and destructive natural disasters, hurricanes offer a fairly long period of warning when compared to earthquakes or tornadoes. If you live near a coastal area, you should keep a hurricane kit within reach in order to prepare your home. Install strong shutters on your exterior windows. If this is not possible on your home, have a professional attach bolts to the exterior of your home around windows. Keep precut sheets of plywood ready. Make sure these plywood sheets are fitted with holes that match your window bolts. If and when a hurricane rolls in, this makes protecting your windows and interior of your home much easier. Also, keep a list of large objects in your yard or your neighbors’ yard that might go airborne in a hurricane. This includes dog houses, garden fixtures, and lawn furniture. Be sure to move these items inside in the event of a storm.
Everything can quickly start moving with the ground becomes shaky and unstable. If you live in an area that is at risk for quakes, get a local professional to do a walkthrough of your home. Make sure that all potential falling objects are bolted down. Fix heavy items, especially, to shelves and bookcases. Be particularly mindful of heavy furniture or art that might fall into your bed. Bolt all furniture to the wall, and have a plumbing professional make sure that the fixtures around your hot water heater are loose enough to withstand some movement.
Fires can race through a home in a matter of minutes, causing untold amounts of damage. Be sure to install fire alarms throughout your home and to use carbon monoxide detectors if you have gas power. Check your fire alarms at least once a month to be assured that they are in working order. Keep a fire extinguisher handy in any room where flames could start. This means the kitchen, a living room that contains a fireplace, or your bedroom if you often use candles. See about having a sprinkler system installed if you are building a new home, since they can protect houses from structural damage.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
About the author:
Kate Simmons is a freelance journalist and occasional blogger currently writing on behalf of InsuranceTown.com.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0 Response to "How To Get Your Home Prepared for a Disaster !"
Post a Comment