Hurricane Tracking Blog

Each year some of us enter the hurricane season unprepared. When the weatherman announces that a storm or hurricane is threatening, we move frantically about – forming long lines in the supermarket, hardware stores and at petrol stations. But, why waste time in this ‘mad-rush’ to make our home hurricane proof every year, when we can very easily do a little each month before the season begins?

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 until November 30. With six months in between seasons, there is plenty of time to get your home and family prepared.

Here are some things we can do around our properties to help prepare:

Roof Inspection: Before the hurricane season begins, inspect your roof. Repair loose or missing shingles, loose zinc and areas that may leak.

Survey your property: Remove dead or weak trees and branches. Regular pruning helps to minimize damage to roofs and windows.

Windows and Awnings: People tend to tape their windows during a hurricane; the only advantage to this is if the windows get broken, the glass fragments will not fly all over the room. However, tape will not prevent debris from crashing through your window. The best thing to do therefore is to fit your windows with either hurricane shutters or with either plain plywood.

When choosing hurricane shutters be sure to get some background information on each type. The better the materials, the better the shutter will protect your home. If you choose to use plywood, make sure the plywood has no serious defects, such as splits. If you don’t already have plywood, this is the time to start buying; perhaps a sheet at a time, to avoid the rush on hardware stores when a hurricane threatens. Don’t forget to buy screws and nails to secure the plywood.

If you have aluminum awnings, make sure they can be lowered and secured when the time comes. Cloth awnings can be rolled up and tied. Doing this will prevent damage and save you repair/replacement costs.

Supplies: It’s always best to get supplies before hurricane watch has been issued. By that point, it will be difficult to find many of the things you need. Set up a hurricane season preparedness box which you can store every year.

Know if your property is in a flood prone area: Contact your local Disaster Preparation / Emergency Management office to find out if your area is prone to flooding. Whether it is or isn’t, have an evacuation plan ready.

Generator: Keeping your generator serviced is the best way to ensure that it starts easily. Before the hurricane season begins, drain old gas from the system. Old gas left in the generator can “gum up” the fuel line and prevent it from starting up. If possible, take your generator in for service every six months and make sure all rubber lines are not dry rotted and that the spark plug is still functioning. Periodically, you can start the generator and let it run for about 5 minutes. Letting it run will lubricate the lines and seals and keep the battery in working condition.

Additionally, having several extra gas cans for the generator is VERY helpful. Also, you might want to stockpile some fuel in advance, but be aware that long-term storage of gas is not advisable.