How to Prepare Your Home for Nature's Worst

You're pretty sure that a fire, flood, earthquake, tornado, hurricane or
other catastrophe will never happen to your family. But you've got a
nagging feeling that you should do something to secure your home in
case of an unlikely disaster. Putting these quick home-protection fixes
into place and using common sense will help you sleep better at night.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

General

1. Put together a basic emergency tool kit, with a wrench, pliers, a hammer, scissors, a knife, a pry bar, matches, a utility knife, heavy work gloves and extra-strength 40-gallon garbage bags. Store essential supplies, such as toilet paper, paper towels, bleach, soap, diapers and personal hygiene products with the emergency kit. Get your family and your neighborhood ready with 464 Formulate a Family Emergency Plan and 390 Create an Evacuation Plan. Also see 466 Assemble Emergency Kits.

2. Insulate your water heater's cold water lines to prevent a burst pipe during freezing weather. Inspect your roof for damaged shingles or flashing and remove debris.

3. Identify local pet shelters or other alternatives to care for family pets if you are forced from your home.

4. Check that your homeowner's insurance is up to date and confirm that the policy covers the full cost of replacing your home, not just your home's cash value, or worse, purchase price.

5. Keep some cash and a copy of important papers, such as identification, wills, insurance policies and financial records, in a portable waterproof and fireproof container. See also 232 Organize Important Documents.

6. Photograph or film all your valuable belongings, and make a separate list that details the visual record. Store copies of both in a safe-deposit box.

For earthquakes

7. Evaluate your house for common earthquake risks. Strap the water heater (and any fuel tanks) to the wall to prevent gas leaks and fire. Anchor bookshelves to walls, and secure pictures and other heavy objects on shelves.

8. Know where the gas and water line shut-off valves are and practice turning them off. Attach a wrench to the valve with a cord so that it's always handy. Know how to turn off the master breaker switch on the electrical power supply.

9. Prepare a supply of nonperishable food and bottled water. Keep in mind that cooking may not be possible.

10. Know where your circuit breakers are, and how and when to turn off your main water and gas valves. Some valves require special wrenches: Get one now and fasten it to the valve.

For fires

11. Buy fire extinguishers for the kitchen, garage and living areas. For general use, look for a combined Class A, B and C rating or buy a different extinguisher based on expected use. Class A is for wood, paper and trash, making it a good choice for bedrooms. Class B is for flammable liquids, and C is for electrical fires, so a combined B-C extinguisher is ideal in the kitchen.

12. Install smoke detectors in the hallways, bedrooms, laundry room, furnace room and anywhere else a fire could ignite. Replace detectors 10 years old or older--sensor chambers become dirty, ineffective or nonoperational even if the button test works.

13. Use a fireplace screen to keep hot embers inside.

14. Have a spark arrestor installed in your chimney.

For floods, wind and rain

15. Put weather-stripping around doors and windows to prevent water from seeping into your home.

16. Install storm doors and shutters or create your own using sheets of 3⁄4-inch (2-cm) plywood cut to fit snugly in each window. Replace an older garage door with a hurricane-rated door.

17. Keep a supply of sandbags handy and ready to fill in you live in a flood zone.

18. Buy several rolls of heavy plastic sheeting (at least 4 mil thick) and a large roll of duct tape to cover broken windows, or to create a "shelter-in-place" in the event of chemical release. Measure and precut the plastic for the windows in your shelterin- place to save valuable time in an emergency.

Wildfires

19. Clear trees and brush away from your house by at least 30 feet on flat ground and 100 feet down slope.

20. Replace wood shake roofs with fire resistant materials.

21. Attic and foundation vents should be covered with mesh no larger than 1⁄4 inch (.6 cm) to prevent sparks and embers from entering your home.

22. Trim tree limbs so that they are at least 10 feet (3 m) from your chimney. Regularly trim plants and shrubs, promptly remove dead or dying vegetation.

23. See 465 Prepare for an Act of God for more tips.

Tips & Warnings

• Store most of your emergency supplies in a hardsided suitcase under your bed. That way, you can grab it and get out.
• Replace stored water every three months and stored food every six months. Donate any food that's not past its expiration date to your local food bank.
• If you store canned food, make sure to keep a can opener with it.
• See 223 Prepare Your Business for the Unthinkable.
• Go to Ready.gov and RedCross.org for more information on emergency preparedness.
• Purchase a stand-by generator (fueled by natural gas or liquid propane) if you run a home-based business or have a medical condition that requires constant power. Costs run from $400 to $4,000.
• If you shut off your gas because of an emergency, never attempt to turn it back on yourself. You can risk a fire or an explosion. Contact your utility company and have a professional turn it back on--for free.