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Preparing Your Home for Stormy Weather

The stormy season can be treacherous no matter where you may live, but residents of Florida tend to see the worst of storms with hurricanes and severe flooding occurring several times per year. These storms can cause major damage to your property and some of which may not be easy to repair or restore.If you live in one of the more dangerous storm areas in the state, take precautions before and during storm season to ensure that your home and your family remain safe. That is a list of safety tips that can help you prepare your Florida home for the storm season.8 Steps to Prepare Your Home for Stormy Weather To help you and your family stay safe during Florida’s storm season, here are some helpful tips on what you can do to protect your property and your loved ones.Keep Your Windows Safe The windows in your home can not only become damaged during a severe storm, they can also do a lot of harm when they shatter due to strong winds. To keep your windows protected, install storm shutters. If your storm shutters show signs of wear, consider installing new ones. It is wise to conduct regular inspections of them before the season starts and after a storm has blown through.Always make sure to install new storm shutters according to the current Florida code for hurricane shutter installation. An alternative to installing shutters is impact-resistant hurricane glass. This material can resist winds as high as 110 miles per hour.Seal Your Windows and Doors Be sure to seal around your windows and doors using weather-resistant outdoor caulk. In some cases, you will need to adjust your door threshold for an ultra-tight seal to form. If necessary. Add new weather-stripping material and remove any mats located inside or outside your entry doors.Trim Trees and Shrubs Trees and shrubs around your home should be trimmed regularly. Doing so will help to eliminate any branches that could be hazardous during a massive wind storm. Also examine your property after each storm for damage that may have occurred to trees.Be wary not to pile any loose debris or branches on the curb during a hurricane warning or watch.Bring Any Loose Items Indoors Any loose outdoor items such as garbage cans, recycling bins, or patio furniture, bring indoors so that they won’t end up damaged or causing damage during the storm.A garage or other large storage space is an ideal spot to store these items in addition to your outdoor furniture, grill, yard decorations, and potted plants.Adjust Appliances in Case of a Power Outage If you anticipate that your power may go out during a storm, consider turning your refrigerator or freezer up to their maximum cold settings.Cold items will remain cold for at least four hours as long as the door is left closed. Frozen items will generally stay frozen for up to 48 hours. Adjusting the temperature of your refrigerator or freezer will help extend this time and keep your valuable food at a safe temperature for a longer period.Rearrange Furniture for Safety If you live in a multi-level home, move your light furniture items such as kitchen chairs or small tables on the upper floors. Elevate the heavier furniture items like your sofa to a raised platform made from waterproof materials.Pack up smaller home items such as dishes or collectibles and place larger pieces like table lamps in plastic containers that may be stacked up off the ground. Doing this can help protect all these items from severe water damage.Lower the Water in your PoolIf you own a pool, lower the water down six inches and add in extra chlorine. Afterward, turn off all electricity to the pool pump. Then cover the pool using a secure and strong pool cover which will help provide an extra layer of protection.Place Large Items or Equipment in Storage Trailers, boats, and other large pieces of equipment should be secured inside a garage or storage facility. Latch firmly to the ground or mooring if possible.Those who live in a beachfront home should clear all the debris that may be sent inland if a strong storm occurs.To learn more about preparing your home for the storm season, contact the professionals at Demontinsurance.com at (850) 942-7760. Our licensed insurance experts will be happy to answer any questions you have. 

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