Preparing Your Home for a Major Storm or Hurricane

With our first potential hurricane (Earl) right around the corner and most likely more to come, it's a great time to prepare your home for the season ahead. 

As we all sit by the TV and watch closely to the storms path, there is always one thing that is certain - we can NEVER predict how bad it might actually be.  But despite the inability to actually know what to expect, we can always prepare in order to get some peace of mind! 

Below are a few things you can do to hopefully lesson the blow of a major storm or hurricane:

• Remove any weak and/or dead trees or tree limbs on your property.
• Secure any outside furniture such as patio sets, garbage cans, etc.  Or better yet put these items in a shed or garage if you can.  Strong winds could pick these items up and do a whole lot of unwanted damage!
• Clean out your gutters of debris so that when the rain comes, the gutters are able to do their job.  Also, be sure your gutters have downspouts that direct water away from the house.
• Have flashlights available - check the batteries and buy extras!
• Install surge protectors which will stop any damaging surge of electricity, from lightening or a downed power line, before it gets to your expensive electronic devices, such as stereos, televisions and computers.
• Have a battery-powered radio available.
• Know whether your home is in a zone that could be flooded by storm surge, meaning you'd have to evacuate.  Have plans for where you will go if you evacuate, when you will leave (maybe early to avoid traffic jams), and how family members will contact each other.

Of course, if a storm is predicted to come your way, you want to be sure to take extra precautions such as boarding up or taping windows, moving your car to higher ground, etc.  Until then, take the steps above so that you aren't scrambling when it does happen! 

Earl may be the first of the year that is coming close to Hampton Roads, but it for sure won't be the last!