12 Ways to Prep Your Home for Hurricane Season
Updated: Oct. 08, 2020No one wants to experience a hurricane, but should one head in your direction the best preparation can help weather one. Read up on these hurricane home prep tips.
Make a Basic Storm Kit
A basic storm kit should get a family through 48 hours without electricity and basic services. The necessities of a basic storm kit include a whistle, blankets, garbage bags, batteries, a three-day water supply and two days worth of food. Get the complete of items here and what to include in a three-to-four day kit and a week or more kit.
Fill Gas Containers
A 5,500-watt generator runs about eight hours on five gallons of gasoline, so an extended power outage calls for savvy gas management. That may mean running your generator for shorter periods and coasting on things like refrigeration. Learn everything you ever needed to know about using generators in an emergency.
Start Moving Stuff
Bring in outdoor objects such as lawn furniture, toys and garden tools, and then anchor objects that you cannot bring inside. Learn how to prepare your yard here.
Review Evacuation Plans
You and your family should pick two locations to go to for safety in the event of an emergency. Choose one out-of-town person as an emergency contact and create a list of emergency contacts to keep in a reliable, readily available place. For a complete list of how to prepare an evacuation plan, go here.
Locate Water, Gas and Electricity Shut Offs
Finding the water, gas and electricity shut-offs should be among the first things you do when you move into a new home. You definitely need to know where to find them for hurricane home prep. Wait to turn off your gas until local officials tell you to do so.
Important Hurricane Home Prep: Windows, Doors and Garage Doors
If you live an area susceptible to hurricanes, then think seriously about preparing the home for those conditions with shutters. Brace your doors and secure your garage door, which has a strong likelihood of blowing out in a storm. Prepare for unexpected disasters like floods and fires by following these tips.
Turn Refrigerator and Freezer to Coldest Setting
This tidbit of hurricane home prep advice lowers the temperature of the food inside your fridge and freezer so that they stay cold a little longer if the power goes out. If your fridge is on the fritz, check out these quick fixes you can do yourself.
Unplug Electrical Appliances When Power Goes Out
Unplugging your appliances prevents any potential damage from a power surge once the electricity comes back on. Do you know you can save hundreds of dollars by unplugging these you don’t use frequently?
Important Hurricane Home Prep: Gather Insurance Documents
Add your home insurance documents and other important papers in a waterproof bag inside your storm kit, and keep them readily available in the event of a disaster. That proof of coverage speeds claims and assistance in the storm’s aftermath. Know what your policy will cover, homeowners insurance has covered some incredible things like blue ice falling from airplanes.
Determine What to Do With Pets
Not all emergency shelters accept pets through their doors so make sure you have a plan for your pets. Before storm season arrives, locate shelters that allow pets and contact them. Keep a picture of your pet in case it gets lost, and have them microchipped, if you haven’t already. More a complete, detailed list of items to consider with pets, click here.
Elevate Furniture, If Time Allows
If there is time before the storm hits your area, another prudent hurricane home prep move involves getting your furniture to higher ground. There are certainly far more pressing tasks in a time of crisis, but given the luxury of time this can save your favorite chair from the dumpster. Check out the best dollies for moving furniture.
Keep Flashlights and Extra Batteries in Dry Areas
Store batteries and flashlights in watertight containers to make sure they work when you need to rely on them. Better yet, make a flashlight glow in the dark so it’s easy to locate.