After the Hurricane - Checking for Home Repair Possibilities Posted in Nature happens. If you live in an area that is highly susceptible to hurricanes and tropical storms, chances are you know the drill - you have your evacuation route planned, an emergency pantry in place, and plenty of strong tape and boards for windows and doors. After the storm hits, however, you should know to put a new plan into action and quickly assess any damage done. This means being watchful of possible repairs to make to walls and plumbing. Visit Hurricane Windows for all your window and door work.
1. Create a Family Disaster Plan and Get Ready A family disaster plan is a checklist of things to do before and during a hurricane if you live in a vulnerable area. It includes important skills, items, and information that will help you survive the storm in good shape. Learn about your home. How is your home most vulnerable to flood or wind damage? Think of ways you can reduce each such risk. Your standard homeowners insurance does not usually cover flood damage, so check your current policy and consider a separate flood policy if you live in a vulnerable area. Even if you are not in a vulnerable area, ask your insurance company what actually is covered if water enters your home from a roof or broken window. Take a Red Cross or other class on first aid, CPR, and disaster preparedness. Decide upon the safest room or area in your home. That would normally be an interior room without windows and designate this as your safe room, where your family will go to and stay during a storm. Choose a location outside but close to your home as a gathering place where all members of your family will meet if you are separated during the storm. Map out an escape route from your home in case you have to evacuate. This should be a route to a primary emergency location and a secondary one as well. Friends or relatives that live outside your area are best as both primary and secondary locations. Decide what to do with your pets if you have to evacuate. If possible, make sure your primary and secondary escape locations will allow your pet(s) to stay with you. Your family will do much better in an emergency location if they have their favorite pets with them for comfort. Designate a friend or a relative who lives somewhere other than in Florida as a contact person, and plan for at least two ways to contact that person. Make up a disaster supply kit stocked with all the items you may need during a hurricane. If a hurricane watch is issued, check your disaster supply kit and make sure its well-stocked and in a location where you can get to it before or, even better, even after a storm. Discuss all of the above with your family and make sure everyone knows what to do during a hurricane or other emergency.
2. Check your Disaster Supply Kit It is important to make sure that everything you put into the kit stays there. Do not be tempted to remove items from the kit and use them for everyday life when you run short of something. Its just too easy to forget to replace items you remove from the kit during non-emergency times. Your kit should include at least the following. At least one gallon of water per person in your family per day, with enough for at least 4 days (more if you can). Enough food for 3 - 7 days in the form of canned, dehydrated, or other non-perishable food items. Do not forget implements including a can opener, plastic utensils and paper plates. If you want to be able to cook food, you will also need to include some form of grill or other cooking equipment and a supply of fuel. Pet care items for your pets, including food and extra water, a leash and muzzle for dogs, and a cage or carrier for any small pets. A good first-aid kit, toiletries, and personal care items. Add any prescription drugs you take regularly to the kit whenever you hear a hurricane watch has been issued. Blankets, pillows, and clothing (including cold and wet-weather clothing). Battery-operated flashlights and radio, and spare batteries. Remember that things like batteries will need to be replaced periodically to assure that the ones included will work when needed. Particularly if you have children, books, toys, and games to keep yourself and them occupied during the storm. Store copies of important documents, including insurance policies, social security & bank account numbers, wedding and birth certificates in a waterproof package. Tools (battery or hand-operated only), and where practical emergency repair items you may want to have to repair damage done to your home. Once you have assembled the kit items, store them in water-tight bags or boxes in a secure location (preferably in your designated safe room). Make sure your family knows what the kit is for, where its located, and not to remove anything from it under any circumstances without your knowledge.
The first thing anyone should do is budget for the windows. This can become a enormous factor in your choice. Prices of windows vary greatly. Your budget may or may not allow you to bag into higher obtain options. This is one of the most critical tips. You need to know which windows, if not all, have to be replaced. discover at the type of window and determine on whether you want to replace it with a fresh style or spend a style unprejudiced like your musty ones. You will need to evaluate how your unusual windows were installed as well as notice any potential problems with tear-out and preparation for the original windows.
4. If you are evacuated. If you are ordered to evacuate, be patient and do things in an orderly fashion, but its better to leave early rather than late when traffic congestion may make escape impossible. Go to the primary destination you planned in your Disaster Plan. If that's not possible go to the secondary location you specified in your Disaster Plan hopefully a second friend or relative further away from the affected storm area. If its affordable, your secondary location might be a hotel or motel. Disaster shelters set up by various rescue and recovery teams are usually fairly uncomfortable and many will not allow pets. Visit Hurricane Windows for great service on windows and doors.
1. Create a Family Disaster Plan and Get Ready A family disaster plan is a checklist of things to do before and during a hurricane if you live in a vulnerable area. It includes important skills, items, and information that will help you survive the storm in good shape. Learn about your home. How is your home most vulnerable to flood or wind damage? Think of ways you can reduce each such risk. Your standard homeowners insurance does not usually cover flood damage, so check your current policy and consider a separate flood policy if you live in a vulnerable area. Even if you are not in a vulnerable area, ask your insurance company what actually is covered if water enters your home from a roof or broken window. Take a Red Cross or other class on first aid, CPR, and disaster preparedness. Decide upon the safest room or area in your home. That would normally be an interior room without windows and designate this as your safe room, where your family will go to and stay during a storm. Choose a location outside but close to your home as a gathering place where all members of your family will meet if you are separated during the storm. Map out an escape route from your home in case you have to evacuate. This should be a route to a primary emergency location and a secondary one as well. Friends or relatives that live outside your area are best as both primary and secondary locations. Decide what to do with your pets if you have to evacuate. If possible, make sure your primary and secondary escape locations will allow your pet(s) to stay with you. Your family will do much better in an emergency location if they have their favorite pets with them for comfort. Designate a friend or a relative who lives somewhere other than in Florida as a contact person, and plan for at least two ways to contact that person. Make up a disaster supply kit stocked with all the items you may need during a hurricane. If a hurricane watch is issued, check your disaster supply kit and make sure its well-stocked and in a location where you can get to it before or, even better, even after a storm. Discuss all of the above with your family and make sure everyone knows what to do during a hurricane or other emergency.
2. Check your Disaster Supply Kit It is important to make sure that everything you put into the kit stays there. Do not be tempted to remove items from the kit and use them for everyday life when you run short of something. Its just too easy to forget to replace items you remove from the kit during non-emergency times. Your kit should include at least the following. At least one gallon of water per person in your family per day, with enough for at least 4 days (more if you can). Enough food for 3 - 7 days in the form of canned, dehydrated, or other non-perishable food items. Do not forget implements including a can opener, plastic utensils and paper plates. If you want to be able to cook food, you will also need to include some form of grill or other cooking equipment and a supply of fuel. Pet care items for your pets, including food and extra water, a leash and muzzle for dogs, and a cage or carrier for any small pets. A good first-aid kit, toiletries, and personal care items. Add any prescription drugs you take regularly to the kit whenever you hear a hurricane watch has been issued. Blankets, pillows, and clothing (including cold and wet-weather clothing). Battery-operated flashlights and radio, and spare batteries. Remember that things like batteries will need to be replaced periodically to assure that the ones included will work when needed. Particularly if you have children, books, toys, and games to keep yourself and them occupied during the storm. Store copies of important documents, including insurance policies, social security & bank account numbers, wedding and birth certificates in a waterproof package. Tools (battery or hand-operated only), and where practical emergency repair items you may want to have to repair damage done to your home. Once you have assembled the kit items, store them in water-tight bags or boxes in a secure location (preferably in your designated safe room). Make sure your family knows what the kit is for, where its located, and not to remove anything from it under any circumstances without your knowledge.
The first thing anyone should do is budget for the windows. This can become a enormous factor in your choice. Prices of windows vary greatly. Your budget may or may not allow you to bag into higher obtain options. This is one of the most critical tips. You need to know which windows, if not all, have to be replaced. discover at the type of window and determine on whether you want to replace it with a fresh style or spend a style unprejudiced like your musty ones. You will need to evaluate how your unusual windows were installed as well as notice any potential problems with tear-out and preparation for the original windows.
4. If you are evacuated. If you are ordered to evacuate, be patient and do things in an orderly fashion, but its better to leave early rather than late when traffic congestion may make escape impossible. Go to the primary destination you planned in your Disaster Plan. If that's not possible go to the secondary location you specified in your Disaster Plan hopefully a second friend or relative further away from the affected storm area. If its affordable, your secondary location might be a hotel or motel. Disaster shelters set up by various rescue and recovery teams are usually fairly uncomfortable and many will not allow pets. Visit Hurricane Windows for great service on windows and doors.
About the Author:
Brett Ford is a expert in the hurricane window and door industry visit Palm Beach Hurricane Windows
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