You can never predict when and where disaster will strike, but you can do your best to prepare for emergencies and protect your home, family and belongings. Taking time to prepare your home from storms and other natural disasters is a home improvement chore that takes less time than you might think and in the end, saves you far more than you could imagine.
- Emergency Readiness
First and foremost, be sure you have the basic emergency essentials in your home such as extra food, water and necessities your family may need. The American Red Cross has several tools and checklists to use to plan for emergencies. This is the best first step you can take to keep your home and family safe.
- Fire Control
For California, a key home safety measure is to protect against fire. Dry conditions mean a small spark could easily turn into a roaring blaze taking out your home quickly. CAL Fire offers several tools homeowners can access including landscaping best practices that include:
- Trimming three branches that hang over roofs;
- Maintaining separation between shrubs and trees, and flammable home items like patio furniture;
- And regularly removing dead grass, leaves and weeds.
You could also consider changing your fencing material from wood to metal or vinyl.
- Wind Damage
Another large safety hazard during storm seasons are high winds. High winds can cause damage to your home by blowing down trees, power lines, fences, and other debris. To prevent damage, be sure to regularly trim dead and dying tree branches, don’t let shrubs grow too large, and replace or repair broken and rotting fences.
Taking time to make your home safe before storms hit will ensure your family stays safe and damage is kept to a minimum.