Storm Warning: 8 Important Severe Weather Safety Tips
With Spring comes inevitable bad weather, especially in certain areas. The heat causes the highest number of fatalities each year, but many other types of weather can also have disastrous consequences on both you and your home. Fortunately, there are ways to get the better of horrible weather and keep yourself and your property safe.
Follow these important severe weather safety tips to minimize risk. With these in mind, you’ll be able to protect your property and, far more importantly, keep yourself and your family safe.
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Have a Safe Room in the House
It’s a good idea to designate and design part of your house as a safe room for yourself. Ideally, this will be in the basement. The basement is in the best position to be protected from tornadoes and natural disasters that even go beyond severe weather. Many people don’t have the luxury of a basement though, and that’s okay! If you don’t have one, pick the most enclosed room in the house — whether that’s a closet, bathroom, or even a hallway. The idea is to create as many barriers as you can between you and the danger. Make sure everyone in the house is aware of where to go when necessary.
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If You Hear Thunder, Turn Your Electronics Off
With thunder comes lightning. If you hear a terrifying boom across the sky, better safe than sorry. Turn off your TV, computer, and any other electronics in case of damage. It’s also better to stay away from open spaces, bodies of water, and even doors and windows. Get to the middle of a room and stay there so the lightning can’t touch you.
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Have a Back-Up Power Plan
Storms that include thunder and lightning have an inconvenient habit of wiping the power out. This is inconvenient at best and dangerous at worst. You might need the power to keep up with the weather warnings, or lighting so you can see what you’re doing.A back-up generator is a great piece of emergency equipment that many don’t consider because they think they can’t justify the expense. A caterpillar diesel generator is a great option that’s both effective and affordable. It’s a truly worthwhile investment, especially if you live in a place prone to Spring storms!
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Never Swim or Wade Through Floodwater
There are many types of severe weather, and one very common in Spring is heavy rain. If those April showers cause floods in your area, stay away from the floodwater. Many make the mistake of thinking that the water is shallow when it’s not. It’s almost impossible to tell how deep murky water is, and you could end up getting stuck in a very dangerous situation by trying to travel through it. There could also be hidden dangers below the depths.
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Keep an Emergency Supply Kit
It’s a good idea to keep an emergency supply kit that’s easy to grab if you need to go to your safe room — or worse if you need to evacuate.
Handy things to keep in your emergency supply kit are:
- Cash
- Food that won’t expire any time soon and is easy to eat, such as protein bars
- First-aid necessities such as bandaids
- Any medication, such as painkillers
- Flashlight
- Water
- Spare batteries
If you need to leave the house for any reason, it’s much quicker if you’re able to just grab a preassembled kit rather than scrambling for necessities.
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Follow the News
The most important thing you can do when hazardous weather is approaching is to keep up with the news. If it’s not safe to have your TV on, use your phone data; if you don’t have an internet signal, ask someone to keep you updated through text. Staring out of your window trying to judge the darkening clouds is no substitute for listening to experts who will update you right away if there’s danger. There’s no such thing as checking your phone too much if there’s an oncoming storm. Turn on notifications on all your weather apps.
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Make Sure Outdoor Furniture is Locked Down
If you have an abundance of outdoor furniture, make sure you have a place where you can lock it down or store it away — whether it’s a shed, a garage, or any place where the wind won’t get the better of it. It’s going to damage the furniture and potentially the house if it gets blown around. Even worse, it could hurt an animal or a human if it were to travel far. Don’t underestimate the power that a gust of wind can have. Outdoor furniture will make your yard look great, but especially around Spring, it’s important to have a plan for it when a storm rolls around.
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Periodically Check the Roof
Don’t wait for the bad weather to get here before you check on your roof. Make sure you’re on top of your severe weather preparedness. You should periodically make sure the roof is in good condition. Check for cracks or holes, and make sure no damage could pose a risk to you or the property if the weather antagonizes the problem. You can also check for roof problems from the inside of the house. Look for brown spots on the ceiling, or dampness leaking through — this is indicative of a roof issue. Making sure the gutter is clear is also important. If it’s not, water can’t flow down, so it will leak through to the house. With rain being so common in the Spring, it’s important to ensure that water can flow freely and won’t be tempted to soak through to you!
Follow All Severe Weather Safety Tips and Stay Safe!
It’s important to follow every severe weather safety tips given to you that might relate to the place you live and the weather you’re likely to encounter. Not only will it protect the property you’ve worked hard on, but it will also protect you and your family. Follow these tips year-round, but be especially careful as the days get lighter and the storms become likelier! For more house and life tips, check out our blog.
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