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How To Disaster Proof Your Home

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How To Disaster Proof Your Home

After the recent events in South Carolina and the French Riviera, it makes you aware that you are more vulnerable than you realise. Although we live in well-structured properties, one natural disaster and we can be homeless within seconds. It is mind-blowing how powerful the weather can be and how much it can affect our lives.

natural disaster threat

Thankfully, there are ways to stop the weather from totally destroying everything in its path. Here are four things you might want to consider before the next storm strikes. It could save your life.

Plan Ahead

No one ever thinks that they will be affected by a storm or an earthquake or any such disaster, but the Earth is indiscriminating. The people of Charleston probably felt the same way and are now living in a disaster zone. There is no way to tell when the next disaster will strike and who it will affect, which is why you need to prepare in advance. Sometimes, the weather is too strong to stop, so you need a contingency plan. Make sure everyone in the house understands their job and what to do in an emergency.

Add Stability

Hopefully, it will never get to that point. If your property is stable enough, there should be no need to evacuate. For example, if the foundations are built with a disaster in mind they will stand tall in the wake of an earthquake. Steel buildings and building that distribute the weight of the property more effectively are harder to crack. For obvious reasons, it is hard to replace the foundations. But, you can add more stability by adding more beams throughout the house. Again, steel or any durable metal is a great choice.

Take Care Of The Small Details

For some people, natural disasters are a way of life. Those that live in California on the San Andreas Fault are susceptible to disasters on a frequent basis. As the people that live there will confirm, it is the small details that often make all the difference. Your home has to be ready in every sense of the word. For example, regular maintenance of the roof with the help of a residential roofing contractor like Knipp Roofing & Exteriors services or replacement of broken gutters with new seamless aluminum gutter installation. So, just taking care of the big factors isn’t enough because the little cracks that you have missed will escalate. Quite simply, you need to batten down the hatches. For example, if you live in an area affected by tornados, install wind-proof shutters. Or, if you live in an earthquake zone, fix all the heavy objects to the wall. The house might stand upright, but a falling bookcase can cause a lot of damage. In addition, if there’s a tree-related emergency work that needs to be done, make sure to immediately contact Emergency Fallen Tree Response services for professional assistance.

Insure Your Home

In all honesty, there is only so much you can do to battle natural disasters. All the above are good safety measures, but a disaster will make short work of them if it pleases. You have to accept that fact and plan for the inevitable. Home insurance is an essential tool because it will help you rebuild if the worst does happen. Homes that are particularly vulnerable need to make sure their insurance policy covers every scenario.

The last thing any homeowner wants to find out is that the insurance company are not going not cover the damage.