Here in the Northeast, this season brings hot and humid weather, so summer storms are inevitable. Recently, this area has been getting hit pretty hard with not only thunderstorms, but flash flooding that can cause costly damage to your home. Needless to say, it’s important to prepare for summer storms because if you’re not ready, you might find yourself in a tricky situation.
Prep the Outside of Your Home
Trim the Trees– During a storm, the heavy wind and rain can cause tree limbs to break, causing damage to your home’s exterior and can even crash through windows. To prevent this from happening during one of our many summer storms, check the trees around your home for dead or lose branches that could detach during a storm.
Clean the Gutters– Your gutters can be easily overlooked. If you know a storm is approaching, clear your gutters before the rain begins. Clogged gutters can cause drainage issues and flooding in your home during heavy rain.
Protect the Patio– Your patio is your outdoor sanctuary, so protect your beautiful space by moving the patio furniture, potted plants and grills inside if possible. If the winds pick up, your furniture could go flying, leaving your patio in disarray, damaging the furniture and potentially surrounding structures. Bringing the outdoor accessories inside will help preserve your outdoor oasis and keep your home protected.
Prep the Inside of Your Home
Keep Your Appliances Safe– In order to protect your home appliances, we recommend using a whole-home surge protector, which can be installed in your electrical panel. This will protect your appliances that are plugged in—refrigerators, microwaves, televisions, etc.— if there is a power surge or if lightning strikes. These surge protectors can easily be found at your local hardware store.
Freeze Some Water– We’ve all heard about the “quarter in a frozen cup of water” tip, but it’s actually helpful if you have to evacuate your home. This allows you to know if the food in your freezer is safe to eat after coming home. Freeze a mug of water, and place a coin on top of the ice. If you return and the quarter is at the bottom of the cup, your refrigerator has lost power for too long and the food might not be safe to eat.
Invest in a Generator– During a storm, power outages can happen at any moment. Most people can’t afford to disconnect from the world for a couple of days or even just a few hours during a power outage, so a generator can easily solve this problem. Automatic standby generators will help protect your appliances and keep your home powered during the storm, so you and your family will never be left in the dark again.
Damaging storms can happen at any time throughout the year, but the experts at Raynor Services have the training and experience to help with any of your home electrical problems. Whether you’re on the hunt for a new generator or if you have questions about how to maintain your generator, our team is here to help! Contact us today to get $200 off your next generator installation!
