Preparation for a large tropcial storm or hurricane

A constant danger during the summer months along the Atlantic seaboard of the Carolinas and the east coast of Florida and, of course, all of the Gulf of Mexico states, is that of hurricanes. While there is no way to prevent these mighty storms from pounding your home, you can at least, take steps to minimize the impact. The first step is to ensure that you have a good supply of plywood to cover your windows and doors. This is very important, since if the wind enters your home, it is guaranteed to lift the roof away and likely to deposit it a good distance away.

One of your most prized possessions might be that yacht or powerboat you worked so hard to afford. Although the marina seems like a secure mooring, once a hurricane thunders in, it offers no protection whatsoever. When a storm surge hits that steel-hulled boat that you so admired, it is likely that the very same boat will to be embedded in your once beautiful Chris Craft, or perhaps both vessels will be a new feature of that multi-million dollar seafront home.

The one measure that you can take is to expect these storms, and to take steps to protect your possessions, be it boat, home or car. Once a storm warning is issued, take heed; steps taken now can save a lot of heartache later. First and foremost protect your family and then in descending order, secure your home, your transport and your boat; for your home it is imperative that every weak point has a protective covering added. Normally this will be in the form of plywood sheets and sandbags.

Even though your house may be a good distance from the sea, thus not at risk from storm surge, the amount of rain that a hurricane holds is incredible; this rain is capable of becoming a flood in its own right, and while it may not have the power to uproot your home, it certainly is capable of causing serious flood damage, some of which will not be apparent until days or weeks after the event. The health risks posed by mold cannot be stressed enough, so much so that the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta have several guide sheets published. The main feature of these sheets is to outline the dangers associated with the flooding; these include the aforementioned mold and also the dangers of sewage, chemical contamination and electrical issues.