Protect your home from storms
Whether it’s a hurricane or floodwaters, it’s time to get your house in order
Wind and water are Mother Nature’s double whammy, two forces that — together or separately — can ruin our homes, our cars and other property.
With Tropical Storm Laura bearing down on us and potentially strengthening into a hurricane, Houston area residents should hope for the best — and prepare for the worst. It’s time to stock up on nonperishables, potable water and tools to get us through the storm that could arrive on the Texas Gulf Coast on Wednesday.
Here’s what you should be doing and gathering right now.
Medication
Make sure you have enough of any prescription and overthe-counter drugs you need to last through the weekend. Having a first-aid kit can’t hurt, either.
With the coronavirus pandemic affecting our health and safety, make sure you have hand sanitizer, face masks, paper towels and disinfectants or disinfecting wipes to kill germs and bacteria in your home or
any place you may need to evacuate to.
Pets
If you are forced to evacuate, don’t leave pets behind. They could potentially drown in floodwaters, become dehydrated or starve if you cannot return quickly. Take them with you in crates and/or on leashes and make sure you have plenty of food for them, too.
Remember your pets’ medication, too, and if your animals are afraid of storms, seek advice from your veterinarian about keeping them calm. Many find that comession garments, such as Thundershirts,
stay calm.
Essentials
One of the first things to happen in a hurricane is the loss of power. Have candles or flashlights — with plenty of batteries — so you can see when it’s dark. Glow sticks are an easy way to create light without the fire hazard of candles. Plus, they’re fun to use and might help children be less fearful during a
storm.
Prepare to-go bags in case you and your family are forced to evacuate. Include a few days’ worth of clothes and personal hygiene items.
Your home
If you live in an apartment and have anything on a balcony, bring it in. Homes with outdoor patio furniture or even potted plants should bring those in as well. Laura is expected to bring high winds, and anything that’s on the ground could become a flying object to damage your — or someone else’s — home.
Those who live near the coast may want to board up windows to protect from flying objects. No need to put X’s of duct tape on your windows; the idea that they will strengthen your windows was disproved long ago. (Besides, the sticky gunk left behind is tough to clean off.)
Your belongings
Everyone should have simple documentation of what they own. Shoot video using your cellphone, walking through your home room by room. You may want to videotape the exterior of your home and garage, too. In the event of storm damage, this will help your insurance adjuster assess your claim.
Make sure you put any important documents in a waterproof container, or at least in resealable plastic bags. If you have to evacuate, take them with you.
If you live in a two-story home and you’re afraid of flooding, carry anything you can to your second floor to mitigate potential losses.
Family plan
Families with young children should talk to them about what is about to potentially happen. Make sure they understand safety procedures. And since hurricanes can also spawn tornadoes, identify a safe room in the home where they can go if necessary.
In case of a lightning strike — and potential fire — make sure your children understand evacuation routes from your home and where to go once they’re outside. Decide on the home of a friend or neighbor and agree to meet there or in the yard.
Electronic devices
If you have a battery-operated radio, make sure you have plenty of batteries for it. Keep your cellphones and any other needed electronic devices fully charged. It helps to have battery packs fully charged as backup if you lose power.
Generator
By now it’s likely too late to find a generator in any hardware store, but if you have one, get it out and add some fuel, then turn it on to make sure it works. If it does, head to the gas station to fill up any empty gas cans you have on hand.
Information
Make a list of emergency phone numbers and store them in your phone. Know how to reach your utility companies and — just in case — have the phone number of your insurance agent handy.
For information on the coming storm, you can always turn to houstonchronicle.com, but other sources of good weather information include the National Weather Service ( weather.gov), the National Hurricane Center ( nhc.noaa.gov), or your own municipality, including readyharris.org/#get-prepared.