
Hurricanes are known to leave behind devastating consequences, especially for those who weren’t prepared long beforehand. They not only can rip families apart but can completely obliterate homes in just a matter of minutes. While preparing your home for a hurricane may cost you a significant amount of money upfront, not having the right insurance policy when faced with the damage could end up costing you a whole lot more.
Here’s more on how to prep for hurricane season. “Prepare Your Family For Survival” by Linda Loosli
Have an Evacuation Plan
Don’t wait until the last minute to decide what the best route is for you to take to get out of town quickly. Plan your evacuation route well in advance, especially if you live in a mobile home or other temporary housing. Ensure that everyone in your family is on board with where you should meet if you’re all in different locations.
It’s also helpful to know where your nearest shelter is in town and how to get in touch with any family members who live further away from the danger area to see if they’d be willing to accommodate your family during the evacuation period. In case you missed this post, 12 Types of Natural Disasters

Protect Your Home
When hurricane-speed winds begin to blow through your area, those winds can take harmless objects and turn them into powerful weapons that cause significant devastation to your home. That is especially the case if those landscaping items create an opening in your windows, doors, or roof. While protecting your house from a hurricane won’t be cheap, I encourage you to consider doing it in phases.
Cut Down Weak Branches and Trees
The last thing that you want is for a leaning tree or a huge branch to come crashing down on your home or on top of your car that’s parked out in your driveway. Tree removal can be costly upfront, but it could ultimately cost you more if you overlook it. Also, be sure to remove branches that are weak or hanging low, and maintain your shrubs by keeping them trimmed and in good shape.
Consider Tempered Glass
Sliding glass doors are highly vulnerable during a hurricane. With tempered glass in place, you’ll have one less thing to worry about.
Storm Proof All Exterior Doors
Every exterior door that’s around your home should be more secure by having a minimum of three hinges, along with a deadbolt of no less than one inch.
Related: Winds What You Need to Do Before They Hit
Install Storm Shutters
To keep your windows from breaking, consider installing storm shutters that will provide them with much-needed protection before hurricane season arrives. If this option is already a little too late or costs more money than what you can currently afford, you can also nail plywood panels to the frames of your windows as a temporary solution.
Replace Old Garage Door
It may be time to replace your old garage door with an updated one that offers impact protection and can withstand extreme wind pressure. If high winds can find an opening in your home, especially with an old garage door, it can cause significant damage to other areas of your home.
Repair Loose Shingles
Ensure your roof is prepared for heavy winds and rain by using ring-shank nails and cement to secure any loose shingles.
Avoid Using Gravel or Rock Landscaping
Those of you who live along the coast should consider using mulch as landscaping around your home. Rock and gravel landscaping only provides hurricane winds and raging waters with harmful projectiles that can break through your windows.
Anchor Your Boat or Trailer
For those of you who have a boat or trailer sitting out in your driveway, you need to have some way to anchor it down so that it doesn’t decide to move in with you along with the rising floodwaters. Additionally, review your insurance policy to ensure that your boat and trailer are adequately covered.
Stock Up On Emergency Supplies Ahead of Time
Don’t wait until the storm is only a day or two out and then decide to head to the store for some last-minute supplies and meals. Everyone else will have the same idea, and you may not find what you’re looking for. Ensure you have a 3-day supply of nonperishable food that doesn’t require cooking.
The same goes for drinking water. According to the American Red Cross, you’ll need at least one gallon of water per person per day. We need 4 gallons of water per person per day; I feel more comfortable with that. Here are a few other items to have in your emergency kit:
- Flashlight with extra batteries
- Portable crank weather radio
- First aid kit
- Basic tools
- Extra building materials (emergency house repair)
- Medications you take consistently
Go Over Your Insurance Policy
Most insurance policies don’t cover flood damage, which is a significant drawback for those living in areas prone to hurricanes. Be sure to review your insurance policy and add any additional coverage, including wind protection and wind-blown water damage, with your insurance professional. Keep in mind that you can ask your insurance company if you are eligible to purchase flood insurance.
It’s particularly alarming in Utah and many other areas in the US, where insurance companies are dropping clients due to crime, excessive fire damage, or extreme flooding.
Please check your insurance policies as to the value you have covered. I know a family that had not reviewed the “value” on their insurance policy in years, and when they had a fire, their insurance policy would not cover the current value.
Keep Your Important Documents Protected and Secure
Another thing I strongly encourage you to do is keep all your essential documents in a waterproof safe or container. That way, you can quickly grab all your important information if you have to evacuate in a hurry. This includes marriage and birth certificates, social security cards, insurance papers, and any valuables that you want to keep with you.
Take Inventory
Taking an inventory of all your valuable possessions in the home is essential for several reasons. For starters, it will determine whether you have adequate insurance coverage for all of your belongings. An inventory will also help expedite your claim and ensure that you’re receiving a sufficient amount for your losses.
It will also be helpful if you need to apply for disaster aid. Your inventory checklist should be put alongside your other essential documents and taken with you if you’re forced to evacuate. This is an integral part of learning how to prep for hurricane season.
How to Prep for Hurricane Season
If you want to learn more about Hurricane Season, be sure to read up on Hurricane Sandy, Hurricane Ian, and Hurricane Helene, as well as the critical issues faced by survivors. You can never be too prepared. Related: What to Do Before a Tropical Storm Hits
Final Word
Hurricanes are known to leave behind devastating consequences, especially for those who weren’t prepared beforehand. They cannot only prepare and plan well in advance, but it could very well wind up saving one of your family members’ lives or protecting your home from the damage that could have been prevented. How do you prep for hurricane season? May God bless this world, Linda.
Copyright Images: Hurricane Tornado Deposit photos_235988950_s-2019, A large pile of trees in a forest after Hurricane Helene Depositphotos_754427880_S
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