With the official hurricane season quickly approaching—beginning on June 1st and running until the 30th of November—the time to start making preparations is now. It is recommended that every home have an emergency kit to include a first aid kit, canned food and a can...
If you’ve seen the news, you know about the incredible flooding in the Northeast, proof that damaging floods can occur year ‘round. Maybe you’ve even thought about buying flood insurance for your home from FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program. Don’t take too long...
Last week the National Weather Service launched its new scale for measuring tornado wind speed and damage. Good timing, I thought, as torrential rain and wind pummeled our area here in North Florida. Friday the new Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale got its first workout in...
While we didn't have any major hurricanes, 2006 still held plenty of other natural disasters. Pick any month and you’ll find a federal disaster declaration, probably several. In all, 50 events were severe enough to earn a declaration. And the disaster that topped the...
The 2006 hurricane season was thankfully mild this year. But that doesn’t mean that severe winds haven’t been an issue in the United States. The Northwest has been pounded by a winter storm with wind gusts of up to 110 mph. If those were sustained winds, that would be...
Ah, Fall. Crisp temperatures, college football—and gutter cleaning. I know you don’t want to hear it, but you need to think about your home’s gutters. Why? The two top reasons that come to my mind have to do with fire and ice. Let’s talk fire first. Did you know that...
If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know that FLASH has a pretty nifty website at www.flash.org that’s filled with information to help you strengthen your home against disasters. But what if you want more technical information? FLASH has you covered there,...
We've looked at how to assess your home’s risk to flood. Now here are three ways to reduce potential flood damage. 1) Elevate Your Home—Raise your home so that the lowest floor is above the flood level or base flood elevation (BFE). Use building piers or columns to...
There are tons of products on the market aimed at relieving the stress and trauma of a major weather event. We've looked at windows, doors, roofs, landscaping, and generators. Hurricane Katrina's natural disaster and manmade tragedies have encouraged companies to come...
Homeowners insurance is an important part of owning a home. That’s because your home not only provides you and your family with shelter from the dangers of the outside world, it is probably your largest financial investment. But do you really understand your...
