New Jersey has had its fair share of tough hurricanes and tropical storms. With the Superstorm Sandy being the worst to every strike New Jersey (NJ), there is every reason to invest in storm shelters and simple reinforcements that will make your house ride future storms better.
Even though there is little you can do when caught at the center of the storm, reinforcing your house could save you thousands of dollars in repair costs especially if the storm doesn’t pass squarely through your neighborhood.
Here are some tips and tricks, from getting storm-proof shutters in NJ to securing loose items that will help you prepare better.
1. Get a complete home inventory.
A home inventory will help you recover from a storm faster since you will know everything that was in your house. A couple of photos of different rooms and detailed photos of appliances with serial numbers captured will come in handy when placing claims with your insurer. Also, ensure that you have all your purchase receipts in a safe place and also put away an extra copy on the cloud as photos.
2. Protect your windows from debris.
Windows and glass doors are very vulnerable during the gusty hurricane winds. Debris can easily shutter them unless you have invested in some expensive impact resistant windows. Buying and installing storm shutters should protect them well enough.
If you don’t want to spend on the shutters, you can board up the windows with plywood just before the storm. The only problem is you might not have enough time to do all your windows in time. Shutters are easier to shut on demand and don’t require equipment or skill to operate once installed.
3. Protect your home against water damage.
Storms and hurricanes always herald some level of flooding. If you leave in a house with a basement or a ground floor, you will need to barricade any entrances to the house with sandbags. Pile at least 2 feet of sandbags to keep the flood water out.
If you can get enough sandbags, you can reinforce the wall with durable garbage bags half filled with water. Apart from just barricading, remember to unplug all your electronics, take valuable documents as well as portable gadgets to higher floors and turn off power at the main switch.
If the authorities issue evacuation instructions, leave your barricaded house and evacuate as soon as possible.
4. Trim trees and secure loose objects.
Loose furniture in the yard can easily be flung around by the wind. Overhanging tree limbs and weak trees are also a hazard during a hurricane. Tie down or remove loose objects and occasionally trim your trees to reduce the hazard they pose on your property.
Storms are a huge force of nature. However, there is no reason to resign yourself to fate and skip preparing your home for the upcoming carnage. Proper preparation and precautions can minimize damage hence letting you pick up life faster after the wind and flood water recedes.
