Disasters are part of being a homeowner, and while you may not live in a disaster-prone area, you will have to deal with major storms every once in a while. It’s even tougher for people living in regions that are associated with hurricanes and wind storms, as they don’t always have a plan for when they happen. However, it’s never too late to start. Getting prepared now will reduce the chances of loss of life or property and help you make the claims process go as smoothly as possible. Let’s take a look at what you can do to prepare your home for a major storm.

Keep Your Yard and Porch as Clean as Possible

If you have news that a storm is coming, it’s important that you take the time to thoroughly clean your yard and porch. Strong winds could take large pieces of garden furniture or things like trampolines and throw them into your windows, over cars, or on your siding. Securing what you can and storing away the rest will reduce the risk that they cause additional damage to your property.

Make Sure that You Keep Your Drainage System Clean

Poor drainage will only make things worse, increase the chances of flooding, or cause your water to oversaturate your lawn. It could also cause widespread damage to your driveway. So, it’s important that you keep your gutters, drains, and downpipes to make sure that there are no blockages. 

Cleaning the gutters and downpipes will make sure that the water doesn’t back up and start seeping under the roof. You should also make sure that the drainage grates are completely clear. Some people will use flower pots to hide these, but that’s a bad idea. It is better to leave them as they were intended so they can do their job when needed.

Make Sure that Your Insurance Policy is Adequate and Current

You also have to take a close look at your insurance policy and make sure that you’re covered for the type of damage you might have to deal with. You have to look at things like flash flood damage, damage from trees and stormwater runoff among other things. 

Have a Good Roofing Company’s Number on Hand

This one is essential. One of the areas that is the most commonly damaged when it comes to storms is the roof, so it would be wise to start looking at a few roofing companies right now in case something happens. You also want to go with companies that specialize in disaster repairs, like www.advantage-construction.com for instance. 

These will usually be more accessible, and will also be able to help with claims and other damage such as siding repair. The last thing you want to do is work with overpriced and questionable storm chasers at the last minute. Interview a few contractors, see which ones work the best for you, and mark their contact information down just in case.

Nobody wants to have to deal with storm damage, but that’s unfortunately something that’s out of our control. The best thing you can do is have a solid plan in place, and know who to reach when the time comes.