If you have recently become a homeowner in Florida, Georgia, or many other southern states, you probably already know that severe storms and hurricane season are something you have to watch out for and be prepared for as well. Your new home is one of your largest investments, so protecting it from natural disasters is going to be one of your top priorities when you live in a hurricane-prone state.
Helpful homeowner tips for new Florida residents often include tips for preparing your home and your family for hurricane season. From having great homeowner’s insurance to have a reliable home warranty on everything from your home itself to the appliances that hurricane-force winds could damage, there’s a lot to do to be prepared for hurricane season. In this article, you’ll find a few tips to help you prepare the right way.
Review your home insurance policies and home warranties.
As a new homeowner, you might not know your home insurance policy that well. You need to sit down and review your policy to determine what it will cover and what it won’t. If your new home is in Georgia, check your home insurance policies, and make sure to get a home warranty through one of the best home warranty companies in GA, such as AFC, America’s First Choice Home Club, so that your appliances, such as your dishwasher, washer, dryer, water heaters, and even your refrigerator is covered, in case of a hurricane or even if they need repair or replacement. Getting a home warranty from a reputable home warranty company gives you peace of mind that your appliances are covered at affordable prices no matter what happens.
Secure and seal your roof.
Your roof is the largest potential threat to your home when a hurricane strikes. It’s best to have a team of residential roofing professionals comes out to your home to inspect your roof, clean out your gutters, and check to see that your roof and shingles are durable enough to stand up the hurricane-force winds. The roofers can let you know what type of normal wear and tear has been done to the roof of your new home in the past and help you get a new roof if it’s needed before hurricane season begins. Whether you have a metal roof or a shingle roof, you need to secure and seal your roof before the season begins to protect your home. Your home warranty and your homeowner’s insurance may cover this, so you need to check with the home warranty company you’ve chosen ahead of time.
Clear your lawn.
It’s important to bring objects such as lawn chairs, toys, grills, and anything that could become a flying missile during the storm indoors before it begins. Any items that can be picked up by the high winds and carried through your windows or into someone else’s yard and home should be brought indoors or strapped down so they can’t blow away. It’s also important to prepare your family for the storm by knowing all you can about the terms of your warranty or home insurance policy and putting together an emergency box, so don’t forget crucial items during your preparations.
Review your evacuation plans.
Once you’ve got your home and yard ready to ride out the storm, it’s important to review your evacuation plans for you and your family. It would be best if you had a plan for your family and a plan for your pets, as many shelters don’t allow them.
These are just a few tips for preparing your home and your family for the storm season ahead. From having residential roofing professionals come out to fix the roof to checking your home insurance policies and your home warranties to see exactly what they cover, being prepared is the best way to go as a new homeowner in a state that is known for its storms.
