Be Prepared When the Storm Hits

Along with flowers and warmer weather, spring can bring something that’s not so pleasant—the threat of severe weather.

I wanted to make sure that you and your family were aware of some important preventative tips to keep in mind if severe storms come your way this season.

  • It’s best to always keep a battery-powered radio in your home so that you can tune to radio stations if you lose electricity. Don’t forget to check or change the batteries every so often.
  • Keep a flashlight in an easily accessible spot on every floor of your home. Check the batteries monthly, and replace them as needed.
  • As a safety precaution before leaving the house on vacation, unplug all electrical appliances except for lights connected to automatic timers.
  • If you live in a storm-prone area, nail down roof shingles or use adequate adhesive to keep them from blowing off in a violent wind. For roofs with shingles that are not the seal-down type, applying a little dab of roofing cement under each tab will do the trick.
  • A lightning-protection system should offer an easy, direct path for the bolt to follow into the ground and thus prevent injury or damage. Grounding rods (at least two for a house) should be placed at opposite corners of the house.
  • Don’t go out during a tornado or hurricane. If there’s the possibility of flooding, get to higher ground.
  • When a major storm is on its way, close shutters, board windows, or tape the inside of larger panes with an “X” along the full length of their diagonals. Even a light material like masking tape may give the glass enough extra strength it needs to resist cracking.

On top of the safety of your family, the safety of your house and property are important, too. In the case that anything in your house is damaged, you must take steps to keep those items safe. If you have to make a claim, you will need to have:

  • Pictures or videos of items of value
  • Receipts for large purchases (television or computer, for example)
  • Serial numbers for the items that require them

You will want to make sure to keep all records in a safe place – like a fire safe lockbox or a safety deposit box.


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