North America has faced some severe hurricanes. This has wreaked havoc on residences and businesses, causing significant financial loss to property owners. Although natural disasters are inevitable and highly unpredictable, it’s vital to prepare your commercial space for such storms, according to Kirby’s, a ‘cleanout companies Milwaukee‘ business.
Here are some helpful things you can do to prepare for hurricanes.
1) Secure All Outdoor Property
Any loose outdoor objects become the first victim whenever there is a hurricane. Unsecured items such as potted plants, gardening equipment, garbage bins, and lawn furniture pose a significant danger during a storm. High winds toss these items in the air, making them a risk to people and the surrounding buildings. Ensure these items are moved indoors or tied down whenever you are expecting a storm.
2) Keep the Trees Trimmed
Dead and weak branches pose a danger during high winds. If there is a tree close to your commercial property, make sure it is trimmed regularly. Failure to do this can cause damage to your or your neighbor’s properties. At the very worst, it can cause loss of life. There are many online guides that can be useful in cutting trees for free to avoid the hefty cost of hiring a company.
3) Board Up Your Windows
Boarding up is a sure way to protect your glass windows against damage. Broken windows expose your property to flying objects, wind, and rain. IN turn, these lead to additional problems such as water damage requiring you to hire a Water Damage Company.
You can use plywood to protect your windows from damage by strong winds and flying objects. Plywood is a useful and cost-friendly material that should be easy to source. You can also use impact-resistant windows or storm shutters to keep your windows secure.
4) Invest in Emergency Restoration
There is only so much you can do to prepare for a hurricane. The strength of the storms can overwhelm the structures you’ve put in place, which can cause minor or significant damages to your property.
Immediate restoration prevents further damage to salvaged property. The best way to protect a recovered commercial property is by investing in emergency repairs. Companies like All Dry USA offers emergency restoration services to help business people and residents avoid further losses
5) Flood-Proof Your Property
If your property is in a location that is prone to overflowing rivers or storm surges, flood-proofing is necessary. One of the ways to achieve this is by piling sandbags half a meter high to create a protective barrier. You also need to ensure there are trenches directing floodwaters away from your building.
6) Repair Your Roof
Although your roof might be looking good from far, it might not be strong enough to withstand strong winds during a hurricane. Check for leaks and cracks that might give in to extra force. You also need to ensure all the loose shingles are tightened and repaired; they can become dangerous projectiles during the storm.
7) Avoid Electric Damage
Due to power outages experienced during storms, there might be power surges after electricity is restored. These surges can cause damage to electrical devices or even fire outbreaks. You need to install surge protectors to safeguard all your electronics from voltage spikes. Have an expert do the installation to be on the safe side.
The other crucial thing is to back up your electronic devices. There is a possibility of losing your business data whenever physical computers or other storage devices are destroyed during a storm. Ensure your data is stored off-site, and everything is backed up.
Final Thoughts
Although preventing a storm from happening might be impossible, prior preparation can avoid damage to commercial property. Ensure you protect your business space against all possible risks. Get an adequate insurance policy in case of anything.
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Interesting related article: “Protecting electronic devices from natural disasters.”