We take measures to protect your home from natural disasters

The past summer has shown once again that the weather is unpredictable and can bring unpleasant surprises. Our advice site decided to find out what steps a typical homeowner can take to minimize losses in the event of a hurricane, flood, and fire. Trust me, reinsurance won’t hurt you!

Agree that news about the next flood and forest fires in various regions of our country is not uncommon. And it makes you think: “What can I do to get out of an unforeseen situation with the least losses?” Of course, the best option would be to take out insurance for all property, but the reality is that Russian homeowners rarely go to such costs. And they often hope at random. Meanwhile, you can take simple but effective measures so that later you do not “bite your elbows”, trying to restore the lost and spoiled.

Believe me, we will not urge you to build a bunker in your garden “in case of a nuclear war.” It’s much easier.

The first thing you can do at home is to put all your most important documents in one secure and easily accessible place. For example, in a waterproof cover that will lie in a hallway drawer or on a shelf in the living room. Believe me, it will be difficult for you later to restore all the papers to your home, birth certificates, marriage certificates, passports, TIN and so on … It will take a lot of time.

Of course, the safest way is to put all the documents in a safe that is not afraid of water and fires. But there are a lot of waterproof and fireproof storages. Therefore, at least just prepare everything in case of an emergency evacuation. And protect from moisture.

Important! We strongly recommend that you scan all your documents and store these copies on the Internet. Not on a computer disk or flash drive, but in the cloud storage. And then nothing will happen to them for sure, it will be much easier to restore the originals. And copies can be used for the first time.

The second thing you can easily do is provide a small supply of shelf-stable food. A couple of packs of pasta, stew, cereals, canned food. Let it be, and suddenly, due to a natural disaster, the supply of food to your settlement will be stopped. Don’t forget about drinking water supply! During floods and floods, there will definitely be serious problems with it..

The third thing we advise you to prepare if forest fires are already raging in your region or forecasters give forecasts about heavy rainfall and the threat of flooding – to pack a bag with the most necessary things for each family member. You can separately collect backpacks for each, so that later the household can quickly grab them and leave the house.

Every owner of a private house should think about a backup power source. After all, the power supply can be lost simply because of an accident, and not a natural disaster. Therefore, choose and install a generator, how to do it, the portal wrote in detail. In addition, your house should have a charged flashlight, spare batteries, batteries and a radio running on them – there will be no Internet without light, and you need to follow the news in any emergency..

Safety experts advise each owner of a private house to purchase a drainage pump for pumping water. If, due to a heavy downpour, water appears in your basement or basement, you can quickly start pumping and prevent the situation from deteriorating. In general, a drainage pump is a useful thing in the household, believe me.

Check your roof regularly for damage. Have you seen what happens to roofs even with a strong, not hurricane-like wind? Repair the damaged areas immediately, which will definitely fly away first. And remember that strong and heavy tiles will last longer than regular slate. Do not forget to also clean the gutters in a timely manner so that they cope with their task even during heavy rains..

Important! The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) USA recommends installing non-combustible leaf nets in gutters. They will allow rainwater to pass through, but they will not allow debris to get into the drain, which can instantly ignite in the event of a fire in the neighborhood.

Just like the roof, regularly inspect the condition of the foundation. The slightest cracks are a weak point where water will definitely fall in case of flooding. High-quality drainage and blind area will additionally protect the basement and walls of your house, do not neglect their arrangement, even if there have been no floods in your region yet.

Remember to cut down dangerously tilted branches and dry trees in time. In a gusty wind, they will fall on your house or outbuildings, why allow such a risk. Call professionals, do everything according to the law.

Purchase protective outer roller shutters. Not only against robbers, but also in case of a hurricane. Spend once, but then you don’t have to insert glass. And the cottage will be additionally protected from unauthorized intrusions.

Important! You should be able to urgently cut off all communications in the house. Turn off the light, gas, cut off the water. The valves must be in good working order and located in an easily accessible place.

We hope that natural disasters will bypass your house, because it can be impossible to restore it after a flood, let alone a fire. But, you must admit, all the simple measures we have listed can be taken even by residents of regions that are relatively safe from the point of view of the riot of the elements. After all, it is your responsibility as a homeowner to maintain the roof and foundations in good condition..