Going through a bad storm can be a stressful time. You have the rain pouring down, strong winds shaking the trees, and thunder breaking through the air every few minutes. During these bad storms, you want to be able to rest easy knowing your home will keep you safe. In order for this to happen, there are some steps you should take in order to best prepare your home.
Gather Supplies
One of the first things you should do is start gathering supplies. You don’t know how long you’ll be stuck in your home, what might happen while you’re inside, or what the state of the local supermarket will be after the storm. The more you can stock up now, the better off you’ll be.
Make sure you have things like water and plenty of food to eat. Pick things that won’t go bad, and that you can make even if you were to lose power. Beyond that, it’s a good idea to make sure you have some basic medical supplies, just in case there are any injuries while you’re stuck inside.
You should also have things in case the power goes out, like backup flashlights, batteries, and maybe even a portable generator. Finally, if anyone in the home is taking prescriptions, you should have enough to at least last you a few weeks, as you don’t know when you’ll be able to get back to the pharmacy.
Move Loose Items Inside
With that done, now you can start preparing your home. First, go outside and clean up anything that could get damaged or taken away by the wind. Things like lawn chairs or decorations might fly away, causing damage to your home or a neighbor’s home, not to mention to the item itself. Take anything that might get damaged and place it safely inside somewhere, either inside a garage or a shed. Don’t worry about organizing things now – you can take the stuff out again as soon as the storm passes.
Cover Larger Outdoor Items
Some items outside you can’t bring inside. Maybe you have a large table that won’t fit in your shed, or a car that won’t fit into your garage. In cases like this, you can still take some steps to protect the items. For example, you could cover up the table, and tie it down to ensure the wind doesn’t move it.
You could also get a cover for things like your car, or get some custom boat covers if you have a boat parked in your driveway. Whatever it is you may have outside, if you can’t bring it in, find a way to protect it.
Check the Roof and Gutters
The next thing you’ll want to do is examine your roof and gutters. Your roof takes most of the hit from the storm, so you’ll want it to be in good shape. Check for leaks, or for any signs of damage on the outside of the roof.
While you’re up there, take some time to clear out the gutters. You’re going to be dealing with a lot of rain, so clear gutters are essential. You should also check any nearby storm drains to ensure they are clear of any debris so that the water around your home has somewhere to flow.
Secure the Windows
Another spot on the outside of your home that you’ll want to protect is the windows. Windows are dangerous because they are mostly made of glass, and if these were to shatter you could be in some danger. To protect against this, either put up some shutters, or board up your windows if you have to. This typically isn’t required for just a bad thunderstorm, but if you have a particularly strong tropical storm, hurricane, or tornado in the area, guarding your windows is probably a good idea.
Guard Against Flooding
Finally, you want all of the rain outside to stay outside. To protect your home, it’s a good idea to do everything you can to ensure that your basement is waterproof. Seal up cracks in the foundations, make sure the windows are properly sealed, and if you have a sump pump, make sure it’s working. If you don’t take precautions, you could end up having to redo your entire basement once the storm passes.
No Such Thing as Over Prepared
If there’s a bad storm coming, it’s never a bad idea to do too much. The worst case scenario is that you have extra supplies, or put in some extra work, only for the storm to die down. This is much better than being underprepared, as the results of this could be disastrous. Hopefully this article was able to shed some light, and you’ll be able to keep your loved ones and your home safe the next time a big storm rolls through.
Author Bio
Judy Lees is a super-connector with Wedding Photography who helps businesses find their audience online through outreach, partnerships, branding and networking. He frequently writes about the latest advancements in digital marketing, digital photography.