If you live in a region like California or Florida then you will know only too well the shocking scale of damage that natural disasters can do. At its worse, a disaster can tear apart a city like it did new Orleans after Katrina, and this can leave people without a home, and financially ruined if they are not careful.
Contrary to what many suggest, we are not able to predict every natural disaster before it occurs, those which are weather-based we can get a bit of an early warning before the winds whip up, but the most damaging of natural disasters see a huge increase in potency just before they hit. In terms of earthquakes, we still have absolutely no idea when they are going to happen and although there are some cities that have earthquake alarms, these offer a minute’s notice before the quake hits, which isn’t very much time at all to lock things down. The best bet if you do live in such an area is to take precautions now, before any natural disaster can hit, so that your property and your possessions are as best prepared for something happening as you can be.
Let’s take a look at some of the best ways in which you can ensure that your home is protected from a range of natural disasters that may occur.
Home Warranty
No matter what natural disaster you are worried about, home warranty plans are something that you need to look into in order to offer you the protection that you need should something happen. If you have home insurance then you will not be protected in terms of the systems inside your home, such as plumbing, gas, and AC. Imagine that there is flash flooding where you live and it causes your plumbing work to be destroyed, there is nothing that the home insurance company is going to be able to do for you in such a situation. A home warranty is essential and when you look to buy a policy be sure that you focus on the best price, the reviews online and compare customer service and additional features. After reading the First American Home Warranty Reviews that were who I chose, because the experience which everyone had was fantastic, do your research and ensure that you get a plan.
Wildfires
Wildfires are an awful disaster that can do so much damage and wreak havoc on homes and on communities. There is not an awful lot that you can do in the event of a wildfire other than making sure that you get to safety, you may even have time to take some belongings out of the property. The best thing that you can do if this does happen is to create an exclusion zone around the property and remove anything which may be flammable if you are lucky this will stop the fire from being able to reach the property.
Earthquakes
The USA doesn’t get as many earthquakes as other nations but there are a number of fault lines throughout the country, and it is surely only a matter of time before we see a big earthquake hit. The best thing that you can do in order to protect yourself from the damage which an earthquake can do is to ensure that anything valuable is either bolted down or placed in a cupboard with locked doors. Your property should be guaranteed to withstand a 9.0 earthquake, which is pretty much the biggest that we have ever seen throughout history, any more than that and we will all be praying. Other than making sure that your possessions can’t fall and break, there isn’t too much that you can do.
Hurricanes and Storms
If you are living somewhere like Florida or down on the south coast, there is a lot that you can be doing in order to protect yourself from the storms and hurricanes which are coming your way. The first place to start is the garage door, make sure that this is strong and that it is completely sealed when is closed to avoid the wind from entering in. Your doors and windows should also be reinforced and you can even buy hurricane shutters which will close down over the sides of the property to make sure that the damage caused by the high winds is limited. The key here is not allowing the wind to enter any area of the house because once it does that, it has the power to completely tear it apart.
Taking these measures now will ensure that when the worst does happen and a natural disaster strikes, you are going to be fully prepared to limit the amount of damage that is done.