Protect Your Home from Natural Disasters

Natural disasters in Texas can devastate the livelihoods of families and damage thousands of homes. Well, the weather-related damage leads to an annual bill of around $23.46 billion in the US. However, many residents from Texas are suggested to practice safety at their homes while watching over loved ones, protecting investments, making healthy choices, and make responsible decisions.

Regardless of the geographic location or any time of the year, people in Texas often feel unsafe due to natural disasters. From flooding to wind damage, hurricanes to tornadoes, you need to know certain tips to keep your home safe. Across the state, homeowners can be the victim of:

• Flooding
• Hailstorms
• Tornadoes
• Wildfire

Here are the precautionary measures you should take to keep your home safe during natural disasters:

• Gather Supplies: When it comes to evacuation, it is important to remember specific needs for every member of the family. You should gather supplies, stock up on the items such as water and food, first-aid supplies, non-perishable foods, pet supplies, prescriptions, batteries, and flashlights. Also, do not forget to charge electronics you will be needed.
• Know the Risk in Your Area: Sign up for the emergency warning system of your community. The NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) and EAS (Emergency Alert System) and weather radio also offer emergency alerts.
• Secure Documents: Remember to keep copies of important documents with you during the time of evacuation. Also, be sure to keep your personal documents in a secure place.
• Protect your Property: Shutter your home if required and check your flood insurance policy and declutter gutters and drains. Many renters and homeowner insurance policies do not cover damages caused by floods or hurricanes.

Here are safety tips to follow for different types of natural disasters:

• Hurricanes: Trim or remove the tall bushes or tree branches. Reinforce your windows and doors to percent wind damages. Repair gutters as well as loose roofing.
• Floods: Regardless of the climate, you can be subjected to emergency flooding in Texas. Thus, when it comes to the evacuation, you should store all your valuables and belongings in a watertight safe.
• Wildfires: Wildfires are a serious threat but following certain tips will help you stay safe with your family. You should practice prevention from the fire around your home. Install fire sprinklers and use fire-resistant building materials if possible.
• High winds: High winds can lead to tornadoes that can be a scary emergency in Texas. But you can take precautions such a secure large appliances, reinforcing your garage doors, securing siding, and removing trim trees.

Conclusion

As you know that Mother Nature is an uncontrollable and unpredictable force, you cannot always avoid the damages caused due to natural disasters. Well, you can take preventative measures to avoid injuries or further damages while achieving safety at home. Following the above tips would be really helpful to keep yourself and your family safe.