It is really important to start planning for a storm days before it is expected to hit. Surveying your house can prevent water intrusion, which if left untreated can result in mold growing in your home.
If you live in an underlying area and are prone to water intrusion, take the necessary precautions to border up your house or put up your hurricane shutters.
Inside your home, make sure to secure all doors and windows. Windows and doors are extremely vulnerable to flying projectiles. Shutters and plywood provide additional protection. If a window is broken out, water can spray across the room damaging walls, floors and your decor.
Outside of your home, secure any trash cans, lawn furniture, hoses, childrens’ toys, and other loose objects. They can became dangerous projectiles during a storm. It is essential to move loose objects to a secure location.
Very important to protect against water intrusion to your home is to make sure you clear all gutters and downspouts of leaves and debris. If downspouts empty around the foundation of the building, consider adding temporary extension pipes to carry water away from the building so water can not invade your home,
It is recommended that you have the following items on hand for emergency repairs and to protect objects from moisture:
Buckets: Several large and small ones to collect water
Towels, Blankets, Rags, Mop: For water clean-up
Roll of Plastic: May need to cover objects or windows following the storm.
Tarps and ropes: Necessary for emergency roof repairs. Roll roofing and sheet tin are also helpful.
Plywood and lumber: Essential for temporary window, door, and roof patches
Camera and film: Or video camera to document property. Would help to snap a couple of rolls of film before the storm hits.
With a little effort, you can prevent small problems from becoming big problems.