It is very hard to survive the wrath of Mother Nature. Hurricanes, floods, wildfires, tornados- these are just some of the natural disasters that you might encounter. The fearsome power of these disasters can be very overwhelming and it can destroy communities. For this reason, it is best to be ready for such events to reduce the damages and avoid serious and fatal injuries. Additionally, you must also prepare your home to increase its chance of survival.
To protect your home, you must first be familiar with the different risks in your area. Consider these risks as you build or renovate your home. You can also check the directives set by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in your area.
Protect Your Belongings From Flood
If you live in flood-prone areas, you can easily take precautions to minimize the damage. For instance, avoid storing anything important in your basement, especially those that are vulnerable to water damage. You must store your valuables and appliances on the upper floor of your home where the water won’t reach them. However, if you are still on the process of constructing your house, you must consider elevating it. Building a second floor is also advisable for flood-prone areas. Additionally, you can place barriers that can stop the water from getting into your house. Remember also to ask a professional to move your electrical panel, outlets, wires, main breaker, and fuse box above anticipated flood levels. Doing so will prevent the water from damaging your utilities.
Strong Homes Against Tornados And Hurricanes
There are regions where they experience frequent tornados and hurricanes. If you live in such regions, you must ask a professional to install hurricane straps in your home. This will keep your roof secure to the walls and foundation, and prevent them from flying off during such disasters. You must also consider installing lockable storm shutters to protect your glass windows from breaking and shattering due to the strong wind. If your home is still under construction or if you decide to renovate your home, you can install impact-resistant windows since these windows are very durable and can reduce the risk of injuries and damages during tornados and hurricanes. As an added benefit, this type of windows can prevent burglars from breaking into your home through this point of entry.
Minimize Injuries And Damages During Earthquakes
If you live in regions where there is a significant seismic activity, you probably know how damaging an earthquake is. You can consider installing earthquake straps for your furniture to secure them to the wall. There are also bolts that can keep appliances firmly mounted and earthquake glue to keep fragile belongings in place. You must also keep heavy objects on the lower shelves since this will prevent any potential damage to the floor and lower the risk of injuries. As an additional precaution, you must secure your water heater to a nearby wall, and get an emergency gas shut-off valve that reacts to earthquake by automatically shutting off the gas. This valve will prevent the risk of gas leaks that can lead to fire and explosions.
Get A Homeowner’s Insurance: What’s Covered?
Natural disasters can be very devastating despite all your precautions. For this reason, you must take the time to get a homeowners insurance policy. You ought to understand what the policy covers and what it doesn’t. You can also pay for additional coverages if necessary. The basic homeowner’s insurance policy covers the following:
- Fire, lightning, windstorm, explosion
- Damages caused by a vehicle, airplane, or other falling objects
- Vandalism and theft
- Accidental damage due to a power surge
- Freezing of air conditioning, plumbing, heating, or automatic fire sprinkler system.
Other costly natural disasters, such as hurricanes, tornados, wildfire, earthquake, and floods, are excluded from the basic insurance policy. Thankfully, you have the option to pay for additional coverage to ensure that you are protected.
Citations:
- Timoty. “June 2007 Floods”. July 1, 2007. Online Image. Flickr. Nov 10, 2012
Attached Images:
- License: Creative Commons image source
The author, Kris Lim, owns a house that is located in a flood-prone area; thus, she knows how damaging natural disasters can be. For this reason, she shares her tips and advice on how to protect the home from potential disasters. She also recommends purchasing homeowners insurance from reliable insurance providers, such as Allstar Insurance.
