Whenever someone talks about a dream house, what comes to mind it as something grand, majestic, and stunning.We also take into consideration the strength and durability of the foundation. Everyone want to purchase the best of floors, ceiling and concretes to live in a classy house that can withstand the strong forces of the weather.
Due to climate change, it’s becoming difficult to predict the weather. This may eventually lead to the inevitable calamity. Natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, storm surge, wildfires, and earthquakes can strike at any time. These can damage your house, which is devastating.
How can you protect and ensure that your house is safe against natural calamities? Here are some preventive tips to help protect your home and your properties against natural disasters.
“Calamity is the test of integrity.” — Samuel Richardson
Make Sure You Have Homeowner’s Insurance
Keep in mind that homeowner’s insurance is different from a mortgage or state insurance. Homeowners insurance covers your house expenses in case of emergency or unexpected situations such as repairs, renovations, and of course, natural disasters. Depending on your insurance company, they can offer partial to full insurance coverage for the specific type of calamities.
While being prepared and having money for emergency repairs are signs of being responsible, the best alternative may be to get separate insurance in your state for the imminent natural disasters that your homeowner’s insurance doesn’t cover.
Hurricanes and Tropical Storms
If you’re living on the east coast, hurricanes and tropical storms are most likely to happen at any time of the year. Therefore, it is important to build your house with materials that can withstand disasters such as this. We recommend that you install hurricane shutters around your house and an extra strong garage door. Also, reinforcing the frame of your home with hurricane straps. If you’re not sure how to determine and where to buy them, you may ask your contractor to do the job for you. A contractor knows what type of shutters to install in your home depending on your location.
Install Firewall and Mesh Screening for Wildfires
Wildfires can be caused either by lightning, molten lava, or simply human negligence. In this case, we recommend that you install a firewall in your house to prevent fires from crossing into your home in case of a fire incident. Also, you need to build your house at least 30 feet away from the woods or any dead foliage that may catch fire on trees.
If you can afford to, install a mesh screening under your porches, decks, events, as well as the opening and exit of your roof and outside your home. The mesh screening makes it impossible for flaming debris and flying sparks to penetrate into your home.
Earthquakes
Earthquakes are the deadliest type of disasters hat can strike because they are unpredictable. Therefore, you need to be prepared at all times. Make sure you secure your furniture such as your TV, bookshelves, cabinets, and appliances by installing brackets around your walls, safety straps, and cables so that in any event that an earthquake occurs, they won’t fall.
Floods
Floods generally occur when there’s a heavy volume of water falling on the streets. It is, therefore, important that you check a house’s layout before you buy it. If not, be sure to check whether its location is a flood prone area or not. If it is and you still want to live with it, we recommend you to elevate your house in order to avoid flooding.
In most cases, you need to have at least 2 story building so that if a flood occurs, you still have some space in order to elevate yourself and your appliances for safety. Elevate your electric appliances to a higher area and don’t put it in the basement. If it helps, you can also install waterproofing compound on your basement walls so that water can’t get in. Also, put two-port check-valves in your drains to prevent floodwater from flowing back.
