June 28, 2022
The Pillars of a Disaster-ready Home
When it comes to preparing for impending natural disasters, the first thing everyone does is to create an emergency kit. While it may help, it still can’t prepare you for every problem that may arise (or fall on your home) in the event of a major typhoon or other natural disasters. Here are other things you need to do to make sure your home is disaster ready.
1. Have regular home inspections
A home inspection can show you exactly what you need to fix around your house before a typhoon hits. You can do it yourself by making sure there are no loose hinges on your doors and windows, cleaning your gutters or the drainage in your balcony, and by checking on ceiling leaks, cracks and faulty wiring around the house. LifeHacker breaks down exactly what you need to do to run your own home inspection. Did you find rust in your electrical panel? Call your local electrician to sort it out. Do your door and window frames need work? Contact your neighborhood carpenter immediately.
2. Protect your windows
Typhoons, and especially super typhoons with its windspeeds of at least 150 mph, are strong enough to break glass. If your windows are not shatter proof, you might want to board them up to minimize the risk of broken glass. In lieu of boarded windows and doors, you can also install storm shutters. Make sure you also lock those windows (and doors) so they don’t suddenly break or swing open during high-velocity winds.
3. Install a corded landline
Everything is wireless these days, but what happens when the power is cut off and the batteries of your electronic devices get drained? A corded landline will still give you a chance to contact those emergency numbers you should have listed by the phone.
4. Secure outdoor furniture
Don’t forget that outdoor furniture and other home items can be very dangerous during a typhoon if they aren’t secured properly. Strong winds can pick up bikes, playground equipment, and garden furniture and damage windows and vehicles. Secure them to solid structures of your home or bring them indoors before the typhoon hits.
5. Trim those trees
If you’re surrounded by large trees, it may pose a danger to your property. The best way you can protect your home from falling trees is to regularly trim its branches to better distribute their weight. If a tree is already leaning, rotting in certain parts, or its roots are exposed, you can turn to arborists and experts on tree care and maintenance like Manila Seedling Bank Foundation.
6. Get Home Insurance
COCOGEN Home Excel PLUS, it offers a comprehensive coverage plan for your home and belongings. Make your home and family completely resistant to the damages of typhoons and floods. Any damages on appliances, electrical fixtures, furniture and others are included in the plan.
An important tip to keep in mind when it comes to insurance, take pictures of your home, pre-disaster, as they can be used as a reference for lost property and damage claims.
How would you rate your home in terms of disaster preparedness?
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The author of this article contributed in their own personal capacity. The views expressed are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of COCOGEN Insurance.
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