Prepare Your Home and Property for Hurricane Season
As Hurricane Florence approaches, we would like to share some helpful information from our partners at PURE. This information and the additional resources are intended to help you reduce risk to your home and family.
Develop a hurricane plan.
Your family may not be together when a storm or other disaster strikes. How will you find each other? How will you know if everyone is safe? What will you do if water, gas, electricity or phone services are shut off? Having a hurricane plan in place can help you answer all of these questions. For help creating your own hurricane plan, visit ready.gov/make-a-plan or contact your insurance agent. We can provide you with options, including PURE Flood Solutions®. You can also view resources from the National Weather Service at weather.gov/wrn/hurricane-preparedness.
Schedule an annual tree inspection.
Have the trees surrounding your home examined by a certified arborist to make sure they are healthy and stable. Please consider a complimentary tree-risk assessment from an arborist in your area.
Schedule an assessment with a roofing specialist.
The older your roof is, the weaker and more exposed it may be to wind and water damage. A roofing specialist can conduct a thorough review of your roof and soffits to identify any loose or missing tiles or issues with flashing.
If you have storm shutters for your windows, make sure they are operating well.
If your shutters need to be installed manually, ensure your contract to have them fitted is up-to-date. Confirm that your contractor will be able to put them in place at short notice if a storm is in the forecast.
Invest in a permanently installed generator.
Consider investing in a generator to avoid power outages caused by a storm. View these tips for selecting and installing a generator, and contact us to learn about special offers available to members from leading manufacturers.
Reduce the potential for flying debris.
In advance of a storm, clear the areas around your home of fallen branches, yard ornaments, lawn furniture and other items that may become wind-borne debris. In coastal areas, if you are re-landscaping your driveway or garden, consider alternatives to gravel or stones.
Make use of today’s technology.
In an emergency situation, like a hurricane, your smartphone can be a very valuable tool. In addition to providing you access to useful news and weather apps, it can double as a flashlight, backup storage for vital documents and photos and a tool to help you to locate family members. Learn more about the many mobile apps and tools available to help you in an emergency situation.
Make sure you have proper coverage in place for flood damage.
Flooding is the most common natural disaster, yet flood damage is not covered by a traditional Homeowners policy. Contact us to discuss your options for flood coverage.
