Your home is a very big investment. Therefore, keeping it safe from destruction during a storm is probably one of your main concerns. Advance preparation is crucial in preventing storm damage. Here is a list of nine ways you can prepare your home for hurricane season and preserve it from devastation.
1. Reevaluate Your Insurance Policy
About once a year, look over your insurance policy to make sure it will cover the full cost of rebuilding. This is essential if you lose your house from a storm. Most people only insure their home for its full value, but sometimes the cost to rebuild is greater. Building costs are steadily rising, so ensure that you will have enough for rebuilding.
2. Look into Flood Insurance
Most home insurance policies cover hurricane damage but do not cover flooding that usually happens right after the storm. In 2012, Hurricane Sandy destroyed many homes by flooding, and homeowners were not insured for that. When considering flood insurance, keep in mind that there is always a large amount of flooding during hurricane season.
3. Take Inventory of Your Home
Make a list of all your belongings every year. Doing so will help you know how much each item is worth, and what you need to replace in case it’s damaged. There are even apps you can download to document your insurance policies and possessions. This makes it easier to keep track of what you own and what is covered by your insurance.
4. Seal and Fortify the Roof
If water or wind gets through your roof, it can cause quite a bit of damage. Check your roof covering for cracked or missing tiles or shingles and make sure they are all secure before hurricane season. When reroofing, it might be worth spending the extra $500 or so to seal the roof deck. This consists of covering the entire roof in a membrane to seal the water out or putting waterproof tape over the roof’s seams.
5. Reinforce Carports and Porches
Inspect the posts that support your carport, porch, or other structures attached to your home. Make sure they are strongly embedded in the ground.
6. Seal Windows and Doors
Examine the seals around your doors and windows, looking for any damage. If they are damaged, which is common in hot climates, sideways-blowing rain will be able to get in during hurricane season.
7. Close Up Any Holes
You most likely have holes in your exterior wall from electrical or cable wires coming in the side of your house. To prevent water from seeping in, use caulk to seal the holes. It costs only a few dollars, and you can find it at any home improvement store.
8. Move Outside Items Indoors
Items left outside could be picked up by strong winds and possibly cause more damage to your home. Anchor items easily blown away, like lawn furniture, the grill, garden gnomes, etc. to the ground or store inside during hurricane season.
9. Secure the Garage Door
During a storm, garage doors tend to blow in and up, which will tear your house apart. Reinforce your garage door by installing a vertical garage door brace and fortify it with horizontal wooden beams.
By following these steps and investing the time and resources to prep your Florida home, it will be protected against hurricane destruction. As hurricane season approaches, Aftermath Adjusters will work to help you prepare for the coming storms.
