Storms can be frightening for you, your children and your pets. Even a short storm can have devastating impacts on the people you love. It’s integral to prepare your home for the storm season. The question is, where do you start when preparing your home? What things do you need to consider? Check out these ideas to assist in preparing your home for storm season.

Prepare the outdoors

Think about the things you might have outside, such as your car, boat or maybe even a campervan. You’ve probably invested heavily into these things, so it’s essential that you plan ahead to protect these in the event of a storm. Without a doubt, a lockable garage is always the safest place for these items. Whilst not every home has a lockable garage, a carport is a great idea to protect these valuable items. It costs nothing to investigate how a carport can protect these items – call an expert, such as Additions Building Company, for a carport quote. As they say – prevention is always better than a quick cure.

Prepare the indoors

You’ve got your outdoor prepared – what about indoors? As part of your regular home maintenance, you would of checked your roof for leaks, windows for cracks and a suitable draining solution to get water away from your home as quickly as possible. If you’ve got suitable warning for a storm, it’s always a great idea to unplug electrical items and move any valuables to a higher, stable area of your home.

Prepare the yard

Tools, pets, toys – all of these things can cause considerable damage and can be expensive to replace if wrecked. Make sure your outdoor items have a secure place – either in a shed, garage or carport to protect them, and your house, in the event of a storm.

Check your insurance

‘Storm damage’ can be very carefully defined by your insurance company. If you’re not too sure about what is and isn’t covered by a storm, or even how your insurance company defines storm, water or flood damage, it’s always worth calling them or chatting to your insurance broker for the finer details. The last thing you want is to be under or incorrectly insured when your home is storm damaged.

Have a plan

Without a doubt, you need a storm plan. A clear set of steps to complete in the case of a severe storm. Things to consider might be protecting your pets, what to do if someone is stuck inside the house, or if they can’t get home, a battery operated radio and torchlight. It never hurts to have some provisions and clean drinking water, in the case where you’ve lost power or are unable to leave the house for a period of time.

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Have you had the unfortunate experience of being caught in a storm? What happened?

Did you have any preparations or plans that helped you during and after the storm?

Share your ideas in the comments, below.

This is an S2 POST.

The post How to Prepare Your Home for the Storm Season appeared first on All Mum Said.

While it’s important to prepare your home for storm season when wild winds and heavy rain can cause havoc, regular maintenance will ensure your home is well prepared for bad weather conditions in and out of storm season. A few simple precautions will go a long way to minimising damage to your home during severe weather.

Clean Gutters

Gutters need to be regularly cleaned and cleared of all leaf litter. This will prevent them from overflowing during heavy downpours. Blocked gutters can block the flow of water and lead to flooding in your home. You will need to ensure you use safe practices when completing this task including using a safe ladder. Alternatively, you can use the services of a professional. Gutter protection can also be installed to help minimise the build-up of leaf litter and prevent the need for potentially dangerous gutter cleaning. Companies like Roof Masters offer an excellent gutter protection product which is guaranteed for ten years, providing a long-term solution for gutter maintenance.

Trim Tree Branches

Tree branches should be regularly assessed and trimmed where necessary. Flying branches are one of the biggest culprits for house damage during storms. Make sure tree branches are kept well clear of your home and also power lines.

Ensure Roof is Well Secured

Most homeowners are unaware of the condition of their roof and the bracing that holds it in place. Getting your roof inspected and repaired if necessary can prevent expensive damage from flooding and high winds.

Clear the Yard

You should clear your yard of loose objects which can become projectiles during high winds. If you don’t have adequate indoor storage to house all items, you should tie them down securely.

Have a Plan

You need to create an emergency plan for you and your family to adhere to in the event of severe weather. It is too late to create a plan once the storm has hit, you should establish the safest area in the house in the event of high winds and prepare this space so you can sit the storm out if necessary. It is also important to plan evacuation routes. And don’t forget to make plans for the safety of your pets.

Prepare an Emergency Kit

Once you have taken the necessary steps to protect your home from storm damage, the next thing to do is create a home emergency kit. This should contain the essential things you would need to survive for at least three days in case you are cut off by flooding or in the event electricity and other services are disrupted. Your kit should contain adequate non-perishable food and water, a battery operated radio, a torch, spare batteries, a first aid kit, medications and any important documents like insurance papers. If you live in a flood prone area you should also consider a camping stove, bedding, toiletries and clothing.

Being well prepared is the best way to minimise the impact of storm season. Be diligent and don’t put off your storm preparations. As the old adage says: it is better to be safe than sorry.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored guest post.

The post Preparing Your Home for Storm Season appeared first on All Mum Said.