Hurricanes and nor’easters pose real dangers to homeowners on Cape Cod. Here are some tips on how to protect your home from storms. By following these tips, you can help keep your home safe during a storm.
Invest in a good quality storm door to keep the wind and rain out
We recently helped a client who owns a rental property on the beach. During the most recent nor’easter, the wind blew the front door open and the entire cottage filled with snow and sand. When the snow melted, there were a few inches of sand left on the floor of every room! All this happened because the front entrance was not fitted with a robust storm door graded to withstand hurricane-force winds. The cost of the cleanup likely exceeded the cost of such a door.
Install window shutters or hurricane panels to protect your windows from breaking
Much of the vacation housing on Cape Cod is fitted with old frames and windows. The older windows are notoriously leaky in terms of temperature and moisture. By contrast, replacement windows are a worthwhile investment. They will save you money on heating and air-conditioning costs, but they will also protect the interior from storm damage during hurricane season.
Trim any trees or branches that could fall on your house during a storm
Cape Cod is fortunate to host several excellent tree expert companies. We recommend at least a professional evaluation to identify potential trouble spots. If the trees on your property threaten power lines, you could do yourself and your neighbors a favor by having a specialist cut the threatening branches before they cause an outage. Occasionally, homes and cars are damaged, so it would be worth your while to reduce those threats.
Keep an emergency kit stocked with supplies in case you lose power
During the current nor’easter season, areas of the Cape lost power for a week or more. If you cannot evacuate to a safer location, it is best to keep a simple emergency kit that includes drinking water, batteries for flashlights, and non-perishable food items. To obtain hot water, many homeowners use their gas grills, provided they keep their propane tanks are available. You can charge your phone in your car, provided your local gas stations stay open!
Make sure your homeowners’ insurance is up-to-date and covers damage from storms
At Liberty Siqueira, we schedule a yearly call with our insurance carrier to ensure that our coverage is current for our residence and our business. A simple 15-minute call should suffice.
Taking a few simple precautions can help you weather any storm. If you are unsure what to do or need some extra help getting prepared, our home watch team at Liberty Siqueira is here to assist you. We provide home watch services for property owners in the area and can ensure your home is as protected as possible from wind, rain, and even snow! Give Rob a call at 339-221-4702 or email rob@libertysiqueira.com to learn more about how we can help keep your home safe before the next nor’easter hits.