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Wild Weather: Preparing Your Home for Summer Storms – PART II Preparing for the Worst

By April 17, 2017October 18th, 2023No Comments

Inspecting your home, making repairs in advance and securing your belongings are the best steps you can take to safeguard your home from the destructive effects of a severe summer storm. However, there are certain things that will be out of your control. Here are additional preparation measures to take in case the worst happens.

Generator on Standby

Have a Generator on Standby

Extreme storms can cause extensive power outages. Aside from keeping your family comfortable and safe by providing backup power for lights and essential appliances, a generator is also helpful in other ways. It can keep your sump pump and HVAC running. You may even get a discount from your insurance company if you install an automatic standby generator, which is connected to the gas or propane line and turns on once it detects a power outage. If you do not have a propane line, a portable generator can prove to be a useful and less expensive alternative.

Get a Backup for Your Sump Pump

An overload of the local storm water system is another potentially devastating situation to get prepared for. When this happens, water and sewage can back up into your house. The same could happen if your sump pump stops working in the instance of a power outage.

To prevent flooding in your basement and related damage, consider getting a battery backup for your sump pump. You may also opt to get another battery-powered sump pump for doubled capacity.

Take note that sewage backup is typically not covered by homeowners insurance policies, but you may be allowed to purchase additional coverage in case of such an event. We’ll look into this in the next part of this series.

The Emergency Kit

Regardless of the season, it’s always a great idea to have an emergency kit ready. A battery-operated radio, flashlights, batteries and a phone that isn’t dependent on electricity could come in very handy.

A first-aid kit is an essential. Your kit should consist of commonly used over-the-counter medicines such as ibuprofen, as well as wound cleansing and dressing items. In addition, the Red Cross recommends stocking a three-day amount of food and water for everyone in your household. You should also keep some cash at home in case ATMs go offline or run out of juice.

The “Go” Kit

Besides the emergency kit, it is also advised to put together a box or portable file that you can grab in case you need to evacuate quickly. This kit should include important documents such as insurance policies, a home inventory, bank statements and documents, extra keys, and other pertinent personal and financial records and documents.

No one can predict exactly how a summer storm will affect your home. In the next blog, we’ll take a look at an important aspect of preparation: insurance.

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