How To Prepare Your Home for a Storm

The Mid-Atlantic region, including coastal Delaware, is well known for its dynamic climate and weather patterns, as well as its fair share of hazardous weather conditions. Summer months are hot and humid with temperatures that can reach over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, while winters are freezing and snowy. Preparing your home for inclimate weather is necessary to prevent extensive damage.

In this article, we’ll review critical home preparations to help you conquer the coastal climate.

Preparing Your Home

Flooding can cause serious damage and is a huge concern for most coastal Delaware residents during both rainstorms and snowstorms. Unfortunately, some flooding disasters cannot be avoided, but there are some preventative measures you can take to decrease the extent of flood damage.

Properly close and lock all windows and doors during a storm, including doors to any outdoor structures, such as a shed or detached garage. Hurricane shutters should also be closed during a coastal storm. If you don’t have hurricane shutters, use plywood to board up the windows.

Tip: Clean out your gutters before a major storm. When gutters are clogged with leaves and debris, rainwater gets trapped and can pool on the roof, which can compromise the roof’s integrity.

Preparing Your Electronic Devices

Coastal storms often yield heavy rainfall and high winds that can fry transformers and damage power lines. Major electronics, such as laptops and smartphones, should be fully charged in the event of a power outage or blackout. These devices are essential during severe storms when you need to contact emergency services or stay up-to-date on current weather conditions. Also consider using surge protectors to help protect your regularly used electronic devices.

It’s always good to have flashlights and batteries at the ready. However, if you lose electricity for an extended period of time, you may want to have an alternate source of power with a generator. Though a generator cannot power your entire home, it can be used to keep the refrigerator running and avoid spoiling food.

Tip: Be sure to have an extra supply of water for cleaning, cooking, and washing, in the event the local water supply is contaminated.

Preparing Your Yard

Extending your preparations to your landscaping is necessary when preventing or minimizing coastal storm damage to your home. If you have trees on your property, make sure they’re properly maintained throughout the year, and remove any broken or weak branches. Unhealthy trees should be removed entirely so they don’t fall and damage your property – or your neighbor’s property – during a storm.

You can also minimize damage during coastal storms by reducing the amount of exposed property. For example, find a safe place to store any potted plants and cover any delicate vegetation. High winds and rainfall can knock over and break pots or drown your plants.

Tip: Make sure to clean up or secure any and all objects outside, including toys, flags, garbage cans, wind chimes, and other outdoor decorations. These items can be easily carried away by high-speed winds and become dangerous projectiles.

Here at Advance Inc., we are proud to provide our community with quality services and reliable resources. If you’re in need of home repairs or upgrades after experiencing coastal storm damage, we are happy to help. Check out our website or contact us today to learn about the services we offer.