September is the most active month for hurricane season, and it’s right around the corner. It’s important to protect our homes and property from the high winds and flash flooding that can occur, even in Maryland.
There are steps that you can take now to mitigate the damage from hurricanes and tropical storms. Here are a few ways that you can prepare your home for hurricane season:
Document your items and protect what’s important.
Take pictures of the exterior and interior of your home. Take individual pictures of items that are valuable, and record serial numbers. Have warranty information stored someplace that you can reference later if needed. Review your insurance policy to see what is covered in case of a flood. Use a fireproof and waterproof safe box to store the most important things.
Reinforce your doors, windows, and roof to make sure water can’t get in.
Double check that the seals around your doors and windows are working. Have a professional look at your roof to make sure there aren’t any loose shingles.
Check for trees or branches that could be problematic.
Trees and branches can cause a lot of damage to your home, cars, and fence. If you have any trees that are leaning or branches that look like they could come down, now is a good time to have them taken down to protect your and your neighbors’ property.
Clear out your gutters.
Gutters and downspouts channel water away from your home during storms. Make sure they are completely free of debris, and reinforce the brackets that hold them up, so that they can do their job when needed.
Have a backup power supply.
Have an emergency electrical source, such as a generator, ready in case you lose power for days or weeks.
Secure outdoor items.
When a storm is brewing, pull outdoor items such as lawn chairs or toys inside if possible. Larger items, such as trampolines, should be secured so that they don’t blow over and cause damage.
We never know when disaster could strike, so it’s important to always be prepared to protect your home, family, and property.