No matter where you live, bad weather is bound to happen. Between hurricanes, tropical storms, tornados, flash floods and snowstorms, we all go through more than one in our lives. While preparing you and your family for weather problems, you should be getting your home ready for it as well. We’ve created this ultimate guide to help you prepare your property for horrible weather.
Bring in Outside Items
Your outdoor items can potentially become very dangerous if left outside. Strong winds can blow objects into your home, which can cause window, door and wall damage, and in worse cases, harm to you or your family. Avoid these situations by bringing in all your outside items. Heavy outdoor equipment like playgrounds, grills, metal furniture can stay outside only if it can withstand high winds or is stuck into the ground. All lighter pieces need to come inside.
Secure Windows
If there is an intense storm heading your way, you need to secure all your windows. The best way to keep your windows safe is to lock all of them and place wooden boards on the exterior. Wooden boards allow you to protect your windows from flying debris. For extra protection, you can add a wooden board inside. In most cases, this isn’t necessary.
Prepare Food & Water
To all the homeowners who wait out the storm, you must prepare food and water. If a hurricane, tornado or tropical storm hits through, your power may go off. And if the downpour and wind are strong enough, you will not know when the electricity will come back on. That’s why you must prepare enough food and water. For storms that last a long time, have about three to seven days worth of food and water stocked. You will want all the food to be perishable items that you do not need to heat up or does not requires refrigeration.
Fill a Bath Tub
If the power does go out, in most houses, the water will also shut off, meaning that you cannot bathe or flush the toilet. The trick to get through any storm while still being able to use the restroom is to fill your bathtub with water. You can bucket water into your toilet and manually flush it. If your home doesn’t have a tub, we recommend filling coolers, sinks and buckets with water.
Have a Generator
Having a portable generator is handy whenever a storm hits. A generator will give your home power, so you can still function and do things with electricity. Generators are crucial for homeowners that have medical problems and require a machine to be on at all times to live. If you do get a generator, you must have it on only while it is outside. Generators can kill you in minutes due to carbon monoxide poisoning. They also pose a fire and electrical hazard. Make sure to read all directions before using.
Install Waterproof Flooring
For homeowners that want to prepare for bad storms ahead of time, protect your floors by installing waterproof flooring. Waterproof flooring is, in fact, waterproof. If your house floods, you can take out the wet boards, let them dry and then easily re-install them. There is no need for you to buy new flooring! Waterproof flooring is great for homes in flood zones, snow zones or rooms like kitchens and bathrooms.
Pack a Bag
In case you have to evacuate, you need to have a packed bag ready. Your packed bag should have important documents (birth certificates, passports, social security cards, a deed to the house, etc.), clothes, toiletries, phone chargers, laptops and other valuables. If you have children and pets, make sure you have a bag ready for them as well. It’s best to pack these before the storm hits. That way, you can leave at a moment’s notice.
Secure Important Documents, Pictures & Valuables
During times of fires and storms, you must have your important documents, precious pictures and valuables in a secure location that if you do need to evacuate, you can quickly grab it and go. It’s best to have a fireproof and waterproof bag or safe that is easy to access.
Have a Safe Area and an Exit Plan
Unfortunately, there are times that we have to abandon our homes if the storm is possibly life dangering. If this happens, you need to have a safe area and an exit plan. Map out where your safe area is and practice the different ways of getting to it. It is better to prepare yourself rather than stay stuck in a bad situation or place. If you do have to leave your property, make sure that it is secure by locking all the windows and doors before exiting.
Luckily calmness does happen after a storm hits. And no matter the damage, all that matters is that you and your loved ones are safe. Valor Home Services is here to help if your house has any damages from bad weather in Edwardsville, O’Fallon, Belleville or the surrounding areas.
