Natural calamities can come whenever, wherever. No one can predict when a sudden earthquake will shake your floors or a flood that will wipe away your beautiful home. After all, it takes years to get a house standing steady, but a natural calamity can destroy all that hard work in a matter of minutes. Therefore, upgrading your house to make it disaster-ready is the safest way to ensure your damages are at a minimum. A well-thought-out plan that secures your home will be what saves you from overwhelming damage repair costs later. The following are some tips you can use to make your house disaster-ready.
Eliminate earthquake disasters
A severe earthquake can break your house thoroughly, to the point that demolition becomes inevitable. To prevent this, make sure that you bolt the foundation of your home firmly to the ground. You can call a professional to do this. Also, if there is heavy furniture, make it a point to place them away from the general seating area of your house. You can also keep them firmly in place by using flexible straps. When it comes to water heaters, make sure that you bolt them firmly to the wall. If your house has cripple walls, make sure you strengthen them. Finally, if you plan on having glass windows, you can add a protective plastic window film to keep them from shattering.
Hold off a Hurricane
With weather forecasting, it is now possible to know beforehand when a hurricane might hit. Nevertheless, it is essential to be ready. Make sure that you install doors that are wind-resistant and storm-proof. To prevent moisture from seeking in, make sure that there are no cracks and holes in the walls of your home. Most importantly, your roof must stay sturdy during a hurricane. So make sure you check your roof thoroughly. If ever a hurricane hits, make sure you unplug all your electrical appliances and evacuate as soon as possible.
Fully protect your house from a flood
To keep your house flood-proof (or at least minimize damages), your drainage system should be top-notch. You can install backflow valves to prevent sewage from flowing backward. It would also help if you kept in mind the slope around your house- the slope should make the water float away from your home. You can also elevate your furniture and keep them above flood level to avoid damage to them. If you know that a flood is on its way, stack many sandbags in front of all your doors. Doing this will help prevent water from seeping to an extent.
Watch out for wildfires
Wildfires have been causing a lot of damage to property in the recent past. To make your house wildfire-ready, make sure you clear all dead leaves, twigs, branches, plants, and all other vegetation regularly. You can also plant fire-resistant bushes like lemonade berry or yucca. Inside your home, consider putting up heat-resistant curtains and doors. Most importantly, create a boundary that is made of stone or gravel around your house. This will prevent fire from spreading.
Insurance is important
In addition to following all the tips to protect your property from natural calamities, having insurance is extremely necessary. A natural disaster can strike anytime, without any warning. So, having insurance will help you claim back any property loss. Financially, at least, it will be easier for you to repair the damage. Make sure you consult a professional who will help you choose the right insurance plan.
Lastly, Prevention is always better than cure.
After a natural disaster has hit your home and done the damage, there is not much you can do about it. You cannot even blame it on anyone else since this was an act of nature. Therefore, it is best that you plan well ahead of time on how you will tackle a natural calamities. Take simple yet necessary precautions- choose appropriate materials for your house and design your interiors’ disaster-free layout. By doing these, you are ensuring the security of yourself, your home, and your dear ones as well. Lastly, if ever disaster strikes, keep calm, get back on your feet and keep going! For more information, head over to RD Marshall‘s website.
