Hurricanes and storms can wreak devastation and put your family and property in jeopardy. It is critical to be prepared for an impending storm or hurricane. As a result, the storm will not do significant damage to your home. Make sure you have everything you’ll need to survive the hurricane by planning ahead of time.
It’s best to fix and safeguard your home’s exterior before the storm makes an impact. We’ll go over various techniques to safeguard your home from stormwater damage.
Hurricane Preparedness Essentials
- Stock up on emergency supplies. Have a week’s supply of water, plenty of nonperishable food items, and refill necessary prescriptions for all family members, including pets.
- Create an evacuation route for all family members. Identify two meeting places: one outside your home and one outside your neighborhood, in case you cannot return home. Make sure all parties have the address and phone number of the meeting place outside your neighborhood.
- Identify the location of community shelters.
- Fill your vehicle’s gas tank and make sure you have a car charger for your cell phone.
- Review and understand your insurance coverage. Understand your deductibles for hurricane damage. Investigate flood insurance.
Protecting Your Property
Storm Shutters and Hurricane Windows
Block and seal windows to guard against water seepage by installing storm shutters. Storm or hurricane shutters are durable enough to block water.
Hurricane Impact Doors
You also need to consider installing hurricane impact doors. This type of door is made of materials that have been tested and approved to withstand the most severe weather conditions.
Roof Inspection
Inspect your roof for missing, damaged, and aging shingles and make necessary repairs. By doing this, you are avoiding any unwanted problems such as roof leaks that could cause water damage.
Downspouts
Remove debris such as leaves or branches that may have accumulated in downspouts and rain gutters. Downspouts must be positioned in a way that they direct the water flow away from the house.
Gutter Guards
Water damage is one of the quickest ways to devalue your home. To prevent water damage to the ceiling, clear your gutters of debris to ensure that water would flow away from your home. To keep leaves and foreign objects off your gutter, consider installing gutter guards to prevent debris accumulation.
Sprinklers and Irrigation Systems
Got sprinklers or irrigation systems? Inspect occasionally to make sure that they aren’t causing water damage to your walls or house foundation.
Emergency Board-Up
Even if you have storm shutters and hurricane windows, it’s better to install additional protection in the form of emergency board-ups. This will offer added protection to minimize damage as much as possible.
Sand Bags
Properly filled and well-maintained sandbags can be useful in redirecting stormwater and debris away from your home. However, remember that sandbags can’t repel heavy water flow. Sandbags offer water protection only up to two feet high.
Cracks and Openings
Seal any cracks or openings outside your home. Always pay attention to holes that could potentially welcome water inside.
Other Tips:
- Bring in loose items outside your home that can be picked up by strong winds.
- Turn off propane tanks and unplug small appliances. If you lose power or you’ll leave your property, shut off the main switches in the circuit breaker box.
- Take a photo/video of the exterior and interior of your home. Take vital documents (birth certificates, social security cards, bank records, etc.) with you.
What is Your Flood Risk?
- Zones are designated at a low, moderate, or high risk of flooding.
- The FEMA Flood Service Map Center is a helpful tool that determines your area's flood risk to help you prepare for flooding events in your area.
- Residents in areas with a high risk of flooding, such as Florida, must take sufficient preparations, especially this hurricane season to effectively protect their property from hurricane and flood damage.
Does Renters Insurance Cover Water Damage?
A basic renters insurance policy may provide coverage for personal property losses caused by:
- Accidental or sudden discharge of water from a plumbing system or other appliance
- Ceiling leaks
- Explosions
- Fire and/or lightning
- Fire and/or lightning
- Fire sprinkler failure/accidental discharge
- Freezing of plumbing systems
- Smoke
- Toilet flooding due to accidental overflow
- Weight of sleet, snow, and/or ice
- Freezing of plumbing systems
- Windstorm or hail
Remember that renters insurance does not cover flood damage, so to further secure a property, there is a need to purchase a separate policy for flood damage.
Flood insurance is available to homeowners through the National Flood Insurance Program, or you can visit the website of Floodsmart.gov to get an estimate of the pricing for flood insurance for your geographic location/address.
Schedule an Appointment for Water Damage Restoration in Cape Coral, Florida
ServiceMaster by Wright is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at (239) 431-9947 for an emergency response to storm and flood damage. You may also schedule an appointment through our online contact form.
We service businesses and homeowners in Bonita Springs, Bradenton, Cape Coral, Captiva, Englewood, Estero, Fort Myers, Iona, LaBelle, Lehigh Acres, Longboat Key, Marco Island, Naples, North Port, Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda, San Carlos Park, Sanibel Island, Sarasota, Siesta Key, and Venice, Florida.
