@Home: Hurricane Tips For Your Home
By SUZZANNE COUSINS
June 1 marks the start of the annual hurricane season, and for the next five to six months we will be looking out for storm watches and hurricane forecasts. In the meantime, why not get your home prepared for the season? Here are a few tips to get your home ready to weather any storm:
Cut Trees and Shrubs
It’s best to trim, prune or cut down tall trees and overgrown bushes. With winds starting at least 74 mp, loose branches and large fruit can quickly become airborne and cause significant damage to your home, vehicle or other more fragile trees in your yard. So, before the season begins, get those mango trees pruned and those coconuts off the tree.
Inspect Home For Leaks
Get a home inspection done to ensure your home is free of holes, cracks or leaks that may worsen during a downpour. Fill any cracks or holes as soon as you can. Also, to reduce the risk of leaking, be sure to change damaged shingles, slate or tile on your roof and be sure to clean roof gutters and sweep off slab roofs that may have collected leaves over time.
Water Catchment
Very often during hurricanes, there are water lock-offs across the island or in sections of the country. Therefore, now that we’re having light showers of rain, it’s a good time to start catching water in drums. You can use these water sources to do cleaning, flush toilets or do laundry. Be sure to cover drums well to eliminate mosquito breeding sites and where needed, add a few drops of chlorine or a little oil to the water to prevent mosquito larvae from surviving.
Batten Down
If a hurricane is on the horizon, it’s time to take your preparations to the next level. Use ply-board or other wood batten boards to secure glass windows and doors. If you have hurricane shutters, ensure they are tightened and functional before the storm and keep them closed during the hurricane.
Elevate Electronics, Appliances and Furniture
Keep your kitchen appliances and home electronics safe by putting them on bricks or planks, so if there’s flooding, they will not get wet. Also, remove power strips and extension cords from the floor. You can also consider elevating couches, beds and other large pieces of furniture that may get damaged if there’s flooding.
Make Use of Large Furniture
For added protection, position large pieces of furniture in front of windows and glass doors so that if they shatter, the pieces of glass won’t fly everywhere. If you have a large chest-of-drawers or entertainment centre, use it as a shield inside your home. You can also put tape across glass panes in an “x” pattern to reduce the scatter of glass in your home.
Get Home Insurance
An excellent way to secure your investment in the event of a hurricane is to get Home Insurance. With coverage for your home and its contents, you can be assured that even if there is damage to your home, you can recoup the losses and pick up the pieces. Get an insurance quote today, and secure your home for the future.
This Hurricane Season, be prepared.
