GET READY FOR A HURRICANE: It’s Hurricane Florence
- Strap down the roof. Using hurricane straps/clips to fastening your home’s roof to the frame of the house, thus reducing any roof damage.
- Put head plus foot bolts on all entry doors.
- Buy or make window covers and storm shutters. Board up any remaining windows. Make sure all glass is covered no matter how small to reduce debris.
- Take any antennae and satellite equipment down.
- Caulk around the doors and windows.
- Secure and protect all attached structures. Make sure all patio furniture, grills are put away or get it into your house. Turn off propane and try to cover them if possible.
- Test the sump pumps and drains, and make sure the back-flow flap valves are operating to assure that water does not back up from the drain pipe.
- Turn off ALL utilities at the shut-off valves, and trip the electric main. Pull out all the unnecessary plugs at every receptacle in case of lightning strikes after possible submersion. Do not unplug the refrigerator and/or freezers. Make sure that you have battery operated security as it is not safe to leave AC on during a storm.
- Take before photos to have handy for your information and insurance purposes. They may be necessary to assist your later damages from the storm.
- When authorities say to evacuate, DO NOT argue, and do so immediately.
- Make sure you bring proper ID, you will need it to get back when the storm has passed.
- Leave and mobile homes and to go to a nearby shelter.
- If your home is not on high ground or in a flood plain, go to a shelter.
- Always stay indoors during a hurricane, and do not venture outside because strong winds will blow things around. The force of a flying object can be deadly or devastating.
- Make sure you know low-lying and flood prone areas, and STAY AWAY. Once water covers, you will not know how low they really are. Do not walk on the flooded areas, as manhole covers wash away, and the chance of falling into a crevice is very dangerous.
- Stay informed by monitoring the storm by radio, and if power is still an option, plug in the TV, and/or internet. A battery operated NOAA.com weather radio is most helpful.
- Avoid the phone, except for a serious emergency.
Stay alert for extended rainfall and all subsequent flooding after the hurricane has passed and tropical storm has moved out of the area. If you evacuated, return only when the officials approve say it is safe. Drive only if necessary and avoid flooded roads and washed out areas. Have ID ready as checkpoints only allow officials, media, cleared parties and people with proper credentials to pass for safety and security.
Access any and all damages carefully and pay attention to safety, including embedded glass and shrapnel. Have a first aid kit handy.
- Call insurance and only follow the following tips after proper accessing has been done, and don’t forget to take photos first before you fix damages. keep all receipts for supplies, fixing–for insurance or to claim a loss.
- Access the possibility and turn on utilities ONLY if possible, plug in at every receptacle in case of lightning strikes after possible submersion. Make sure that you have battery operated security as it is not safe to leave AC on during a storm.
- Access stability and remove the straps on the roof. Remove hurricane straps/clips to fastening your home’s roof to the frame of the house, thus reducing any roof damage.
- Remove any head/foot bolts on entry doors.
- Remove or higher window covers and storm shutters. Carefully take all board-up and covering down/off.
- Re-install antennae and satellite equipment.
- Take down the strapping from secured attached structures. Re-position all patio furniture, grills, etc. Turn on propane and hook up utilities if possible.
- Check the sump pumps and drains, and make sure they are operating properly to assure that they are ready for subsequent storms.
- It may take several weeks to dispose of refuse, make sure if any waste is hazardous to dispose of properly.
- Fix the decor to return everything to it’s normal state.
A hurricane is a nasty fact of life, but truly is necessary for the world to exist as it does. Hurricanes are mother nature’s control and thermostat to ensure that the oceans do not overheat. The hurricane sheds heat off the ocean surface and casts the heat into outer space really fast. They are true heat vacuums. The cores of heat shed from hurricanes make the ceilings of heat from 5 times to sometimes fifty times higher in altitude. It is the only time heat ever goes this high up. The price? The waters of the tropical oceans pay a high price in lost ocean wildlife and damage to underwater vegetation including the coral reef if the oceans are too warm. Hurricanes also pull the continental weather down further south in this hemisphere to ensure that the polar weather doesn’t get so intense in the tundra areas, so that vegetation can exist. Hurricanes absolutely need to exist if we want to live on earth. They are not going away, and we need to be prepared, and be safe.
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The damage is truly devastating. I hate to see those beautiful mansions go to waste. 🙁 Hopefully there will be something salvageable that they can use to build them again.