Hurricane Earl is blasting its way up the East Coast, with Tropical Storm Fiona hot on its heels. If you live in Earl’s path, you should be prepared for the possibility of torrential rain, flooding, and dangerous winds in the next few days. Make sure your disaster kit is complete with enough food, water, and medication to last for at least three days. Watch this video to find out how to board up your windows if you don’t have impact-resistant glass. Follow this checklist to make sure you’ve done everything you can to get compensation from your insurance company in case your home is damaged. Scroll down to the hurricane-specific section of the list to ensure that you’ve prepared adequately.
Remember that along with dangerous flying debris and high winds, hurricanes cause flooding. Earl is predicted to cause flooding along the Outer Banks and Cape Cod later in the week. If you live in those areas, read up on avoiding flood damage and on protecting your property from flood damage.
Not in Earl’s path? If you live in a hurricane-prone area, you should still make sure that you’ll be able to withstand a storm the next time one comes your way. Find out how to protect your home against damage by installing straps, clips, anchors, and bolts in its structurally weakest parts. Read up on planning a safe room, an independently constructed space in your home built to withstand wind speeds of up to 250 mph. If you follow these tips, you’ll be prepared to weather the storm.
