In 2022 alone, natural catastrophes have caused an estimated $260 billion worth of damages, and only $115 billion of the total losses are insured. Currently, the world is experiencing unstable economies and declining purchasing power. Due to this, shelling out thousands of dollars to repair a devastated home after a disaster is a necessity that not all can afford.

From floods to an F3-scale tornado, your home goes through incredible challenges to keep you warm, dry and protected. However, your property may inevitably acquire wear and tear. These damages may worsen after taking a few strikes from natural disasters. As such, it's vital to remember that your protector needs protecting too.

Devastating events throughout history have proven their fearsome might. But, taking precautionary measures ahead of a disaster can save time, money, and even lives. Reduce the stress of dealing with the loss of assets, property damages, and financial uncertainty by reading on to learn how to secure your home from the impact of natural disasters.

Protecting Your Property from Natural Disasters

You may not be able to stop a natural disaster from your home. However, you can take extra preventive measures to lessen the risk of the destruction they may cause and protect your home from casualties. You won't have to worry about reparation or restoration with the right tools, systems, and plans.

Check out the tips below to help keep yourself, your family, and your property safe and sound.

1. Check your location

Do your research. Know whether you're in an area prone to wildfires, floods, tornadoes, and more. You can also make the extra effort to list the natural disasters that are more likely to occur. It can help you make better, well-informed decisions on what security measures to implement.

Fault lines around your property can cause you more damage in the case of an earthquake. Meanwhile, homeowners living near coastlines should worry more about tsunamis or floods. Snowstorms aren't likely to hit homes near the equator. But it's best to stay alert concerning wildfires as they can happen due to intense heat.

2. Print important documents

Natural disasters can cause power outages or service disruptions. During this time, you may have difficulty retrieving essential documents if you have them stored in the cloud of electrical devices that you need to plug in.

You can avoid this hardship by compiling printouts of these documents in a waterproof bag or folder. This way, you can make them accessible while preventing water damage.

Ensure you have the critical files containing your insurance policies and personal information, like your birth certificate or passport. These essential paperwork allows you access to certain emergency services, from medical or financial ones. 

3. Maintain clean surroundings

Cleaning the inside of your house may not be enough. Make it a habit to remove debris in your yard, garden, or roof. Fallen branches, littered trash, or even toys left outside can become projectiles that can smash your windows during strong winds.

Moreover, remember to check your gutters and downspouts. Plants and debris can clog your roof gutters, causing more severe flooding outside and inside your home. At the same time, broken pipes within your home can cause leaking and further water damage that can weaken your home structure.

4. Secure your foundation

Making a house sturdy and reliable in the face of natural disasters requires attention to the tiniest details, from top to bottom. This meticulousness includes ensuring a stable understructure for your property and proper support.

For example, you can consult engineers or contractors in compacting the soil around your home to improve the ground's ability to support the weight of the house. If not possible, you may install columns or piles made of concrete, steel, or wood. Geogrids and geotextiles can also help reinforce soil and drainage for your home.

5. Unplug your appliances

Prevent the chances of starting a fire or ruining your expensive appliances during storm season by cutting off electrical power. A short circuit caused by flood water entering your electrical wiring can harm you and your home. The same goes for a lightning strike near your home

Regularly check if your electrical outlets are dry. Use surge available in hardware stores to limit the risk of short circuits or unplug the following appliances during an emergency:

• Microwave
• Toaster ovens
• Coffee machine
• Water dispenser
• Refrigerator

6. Invest in your home

Safeguarding your home may get expensive initially. However, spending a few hundred on preventive fixtures for your home can save you thousands of repair expenses. Thanks to innovations in home design and technologies, you have more options to protect your property from total damage.

Impact windows are made of durable materials, like tempered glass and shatter-proof polyvinyl. So, this fixture is excellent for homes near the shore as it can prevent water from entering your home through a shattered glass window.

On the other hand, those who experience hurricanes can look into hurricane straps to secure furniture into place. You can also consider hurricane shutters to protect windows against flying debris.

7. Evaluate your insurance policies

On top of personal insurance, take time to understand and evaluate your home insurance policy. Ensure you know which damages your insurance will cover to lessen unexpected expenses when a natural disaster strikes. For example, standard homeowner insurance covers certain kinds of water damage. While it solves your problem during a pipe burst, damages from flood or rain are your expense.

If you want a home insurance policy that covers your bases, you'll need to file a separate policy or endorse your current policy. It'll also help if you document the content and conditions of your property before a natural disaster. You can use this documentation as proof when filing a claim with your insurance company after incurring damages from a natural disaster.

Protect Yourself and Your Property Against Damages

Recognizing vulnerabilities is a significant factor in protecting your property against natural disasters. You'll have a better sense of what you can and should do if you're aware of what to improve. Strengthening the structural integrity of your home can be a worthwhile effort that can ease your worries in the thick of emergencies.

Your home is an investment that can last you for a lifetime. Make the necessary repairs and initiate preventive measures. Doing so ensure that it's functional and well-maintained, making it reliable in protecting your family.