Hurricane season is upon us! According to Mass.gov, hurricane season near the coast of Massachusetts peaks during the months of August and September. It is important that you are prepared for a possible hurricane and hurricane damage. Through preparation, we can finish hurricane season strong and be prepared for hurricane season next year and the years to come. With that being said, let’s learn how to secure our homes both physically and financially.
Protecting Your Home Physically
With high winds and long downpours, hurricanes can cause a lot of damage to homes and surrounding areas. However, preparing your home physically for hurricane season will lessen the chance of damage or even lessen the damage your home receives overall. Checking your home every few years for cracks, lose materials, and structural damage will help you prepare your home for hurricane damage and even natural disasters. Here are a few ways you can prepare your home for hurricane season.
Roof. The purpose of the roof is to protect the home from water intrusion. Water damage in the home can lead to water damage which can then lead to mold damage. Checking your roof every few years for damage will ensure that you are less likely to experience water damage. In fact, investing in reinforcements and sealing your roof can also go a long way in protecting your home from water damage.
Porches/Patios/Carports. Porches, patios, and carports are susceptible to being damaged by both high winds and flooding. Boarding up the window and reinforcing with material made specifically for hurricanes will lessen the damage during hurricanes. However, if there are any furniture or items not bolted down, it is best to place them inside. This will ensure that none of your items fly away or fly at high speeds into your home.
Garage. Reinforcing the garage, specifically the garage door, will help keep it installed rather than blown off by the high winds. In fact, there are garage doors made with hurricanes in mind that are worth checking out and possibly investing in.
House (Foundation and Walls). Checking the house every few years for cracks, holes, and foundation damage will help prevent water from seeping into your home and causing water damage during downpours.
Clear Property. With high winds, anything outside that is not locked or bolted down should be placed inside. Anything not locked or bolted down are hazardous during high winds as they can fly away or fly into your home causing damage.
Basement and Attic. With long downpours and chance of flooding during hurricanes, the basement is susceptible to flooding. Checking your basement every few years for cracks or other damage will lessen the chance of your basement flooding.
Protecting Your Home Financially
By insuring your home and the items in your home, if damage were to occur during hurricane season, your insurance company can help reduce the cost of fixing your home and/or replacing your possessions.
Insurance. Check your home’s insurance policy to see what damages it will cover. If the area where you live is susceptible to flood damage, it is worth looking into and investing in insurance policies that will cover flood damage.
Take inventory. Taking inventory of your items will help you and your insurance company know what needs replacing and what can be replaced.
All in all, water damage restoration can cost you differently depending on a number of factors involved. For personal safety and building safety, water damage restoration is best left to professionals like Service Team of Professionals (STOP). We work with your insurance company to restore the property back to normal.
STOP Metrowest is an IICRC Certified Firm – safe, quality, and compassionate service is our priority! We provide 24/7 emergency water extraction and restoration of any water damage related issues in Framingham MA or other Metrowest MA communities like Sudbury MA, Holliston MA, and Westborough MA. Call Service Team of Professionals (STOP Metrowest 508-841-3082) or visit our webpage at STOP Metrowest.
