June 1st marks the official start of Hurricane Season. Though we hope that there aren’t going to be any nasty storms this year, it is best to always be prepared. We have previously posted about a very practical list of things to purchase to make sure you are prepared for a tropical storm; be sure to check that one out. This articles will focus on the bigger picture of how to be prepared for a hurricane.
Tip #1: Educate Self for Evacuation
If you are living in a Texas coastal area, you need to know all of the evacuation routes that are used if there is a severe tropical storm coming your way. When you hear the call to evacuate, you won’t have time to do your research. Being prepared is knowing how to protect yourself and your family from danger. Just as it’s important to know where to go if you need to evacuate in case of a fire, it is necessary to know the best way out of town to a safer location. So, be prepared and know your route, know where to go and what you need to bring with you in a pinch.
Tip #2: Strengthen Your Home
Be sure that your home heeds the building codes that coincide with hurricane prevention. If you are living in a place that experiences tropical storms, like the Texas gulf, there are building requirements and regulations that help protect against damage to your home in a storm. Should you have any questions about Texas Windstorm Insurance, let us know. You can also hire a home inspector to come and look at your home to see if there are further steps that you can take to make your home stronger and thus safer.
Tip #3: Have a Plan
Creating a preventative storm plan can help you to minimize your losses when it comes to an average tropical storm. When you know there is a storm coming, you will want to secure your home. This plan may have many different aspects to it, depending on the type of property you reside at. Prepping your home for an on-coming storm would include having a way to tie down your outdoor furniture or potted plants, or better yet, secure them inside your home, garage or shed. There are things that can easily be blown away and cause damage to your property, someone else’s property or people. Also having a plan on how to protect your windows is crucial when the winds come banging against the house. Using storm shutters or having plywood on hand to cover up the windows will protect your windows from storm damage. While this is required anyways, be sure they are easily accessible in the event of a storm.
Tip #4: Essentials on Hand
As mentioned earlier, there is a list posted about all of the essentials to have on hand during hurricane season. Refer to this list and make sure to get the basic necessities on hand just in case the storm turns unexpectedly unpleasant. You will be glad you took the time to get your home prepared. You don’t have to rush out and buy everything but each shopping trip the months before hurricane season, it would be wise to stock up on various items because during a storm or prior to the onset of one, those needed items likely will be out of stock so don’t get left behind.
Should you have any questions about preparing for hurricane season, ensuring you have adequate insurance coverage for your home and belongings should a flood or storm surge cause damage, please contact Paula Smith Insurance. Don’t delay, get this done ahead of time so your coverage will be in effect during and after the storm. Nothing like knowing it is too late to be covered and you suffer a major loss.