Ways to Prep Your Home for Hurricane Season

A basic storm kit should get a family through 48 hours without electricity and basic services. The necessities of a basic storm kit include a whistle, blankets, garbage bags, batteries, a three-day water supply and two days worth of food. 

A 5,500-watt generator runs about eight hours on five gallons of gasoline, so an extended power outage calls for savvy gas management. That may mean running your generator for shorter periods and coasting on things like refrigeration. 

Bring in outdoor objects such as lawn furniture, toys and garden tools, and then anchor objects that you cannot bring inside.

You definitely need to know where to find them for hurricane home prep. Wait to turn off your gas until local officials tell you to do so.

If you live an area susceptible to hurricanes, then think seriously about preparing the home for those conditions with shutters. Brace your doors and secure your garage door, which has a strong likelihood of blowing out in a storm.

This tidbit of hurricane home prep advice lowers the temperature of the food inside your fridge and freezer so that they stay cold a little longer if the power goes out.

Unplugging your appliances prevents any potential damage from a power surge once the electricity comes back on.

Not all emergency shelters accept pets through their doors so make sure you have a plan for your pets. Before storm season arrives, locate shelters that allow pets and contact them. Keep a picture of your pet in case it gets lost, and  have them microchipped, if you haven’t already.

If there is time before the storm hits your area, another prudent hurricane home prep move involves getting your furniture to higher ground. There are certainly far more pressing tasks in a time of crisis, but given the luxury of time this can save your favorite chair from the dumpster.