3 Mistakes to Avoid When Prepping For a Hurricane

As a homeowner, it’s imperative that you’re always thinking about how to keep your property and your family safe. Bad storms can damage any home no matter where it’s located. But in certain parts of the country, especially where hurricanes are prevalent, protecting your home from storm damage is even more essential.

Hurricanes can have effects on homes and other structures more than 100 miles inland. Storm and hurricane prep is essential and one of the most important aspects of home ownership you should focus on. When it comes to protecting your home from storm damage, make sure you’re avoiding these common mistakes at all costs:

• Leaving old windows and doors in place — Perhaps one of the best ways to secure your home prior to a storm is to replace all your old and feeble windows and doors and update them. Hurricane-proof windows and glass doors can withstand wind speeds in the triple-digits. Don’t just leave your old and weak fixtures around your home as dangerous storms approach — upgrade with hurricane-proof windows and doors.
• Ignoring flood prevention — Flooding is actually the most common natural disaster and can occur immediately after a major storm hits. If you’re not preparing for residential flooding, you might end up with some serious and costly structural issues on your hand.
  “Think about unplugging all of your household electronics and appliances [as well as] shutting off electricity to prevent electrical surge or potential electrocution if your home were to be flooded,” said Melanie Hart, senior underwriter for USAA.
• Not securing loose objects — You don’t want to have all your interior items falling around inside your home during a storm. Even more importantly, however, you should tie down or secure any outdoor objects that surround your home in order to prevent those objects from projecting into your home. Keep trees trip and tie down lawn furniture and other heavy items around your landscape.

Don’t let any significant storm cause more damage than it needs to — make sure you secure loose objects inside and outside of your home, update all your windows and doors, and prepare for potential flooding. If you want to learn more about protecting your home from storm damage, give WB Capps Design and Build a call right away.