It’s time for some fun in the sun! Along with the sun, over the next few months, there will be some pretty hefty storms. These storms will bring lightning, high winds, torrential rain, and hail. Are you prepared? Or, is your home prepared for this weather?
Safety First
Plans are important! For high winds or possibly a tornado, designate a safe spot for you and your family to seek shelter in your home. A safe place would be on a lower level, an interior room, far from any windows, and with strong overhead support. Power outages are common during summer storms. Be prepared for a power outage and put together an emergency kit to keep in the designated safe spot of your home.
Preventing Storm Damage
Unfortunately, you can’t prevent the storm from hitting, but you can take the appropriate measure to protect your home. One action to take is to maintain the trees in your yard. This doesn’t mean to shape them into elephants; sadly they won’t protect you from a storm. You need to remove the dead branches or any limbs that pose a threat of falling on your home. Make sure your gutters are securely attached, there is a possibility they could fall off your house in the event of heavy rain or high winds. Also, clean the gutters so water can properly flow away from your home.
The Aftermath
Some things are out of our control. If your home incurs damage during a storm this summer, don’t worry it can be fixed. Having homeowners insurance is extremely important in such instances. After a weather disaster, you don’t want to go through a financial disaster as well. Before you begin to clean up the damage snap a few pictures to present the situation to the insurance agency accurately. Get your detective skills on, because you don’t want to miss any small damage that you may end up paying for later after an insurance claim had already been filled out. Your home could incur anything from hail damage, a limb falling through the roof, or your satellite being struck by lightning. Remember to have you and your family’s safety at the forefront; this means don’t stand under anything that may be falling through your ceiling and stay away from electrical hazards. After a storm hits the St. Cloud Area, be sure to call Royal Renovations to come and repair storm damage to your home.
To help you and your family stay safe and prepared here is a checklist for an emergency preparedness kit to keep in a safe spot in your home. Have a plan before a storm hits, so after it’s not such a headache.