How to avoid property loss before a hurricane

The following are low cost mitigation measures you can take to protest yourself, your home or your business from losses:

Protection from Wind

·         Analyze your home’s or business’s structural weaknesses.

·         Retrofit your existing roof with hurricane straps.

·         Retrofit your existing roof with gable end braces.

·         If you are building a new home or business, consider a hip roof with a pitch of 30 degrees or less.

·         Install of build storm shutters to protect windows.

·         Install braces to give additional support to garage doors.

·         Plant vegetation to serve as wind breaks.

·         Along the shoreline, stabilize dunes with native vegetation.

Protection from Flooding

·         Buy flood insurance. Our agency can assist you with the purchase of flood insurance.

·         Move valuables and appliances out of the basement.

·         Have the main breaker or fuse box and utility meters elevated.

·         Consider elevating your home/business above the 100-year floodplain or estimated surge inundation level.

·         Make sure that any flood-proofing efforts are in compliance with the minimum NFIP requirements, and with state and local building codes.

Encourage and Support Municipal Improvements and Policies

·         Storm water management.

·         Comprehensive land use planning.

·         Capital improvements planning (for burial of utility lines, flood-proofing of sewage plants and pumps.)

·         New road extension to avoid flood-prone areas, beach management plans.

·         Wetlands preservation.

·         Dune protection and appropriate shoreline (and river bank) setbacks.

·         Acquisition and elevation projects for eligible properties in special flood hazard areas.

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