Know How to Protect
Your Property from
Damage Caused by
Natural Disasters
28 MANATEE-SARASOTA BIA Contractors’ Guide
Hurricanes
Install storm shutters on windows.
Reinforce your roof with hurricane straps and bracing.
Reinforce garage doors.
Ensure double doors are secured at the top and bottom, adding
bolts or pins where needed.
Know the difference between a hurricane watch and a
hurricane warning.
A hurricane watch means there is the threat of a hurricane. Listen
to news reports, bring in outdoor furniture, remove outside
antennas, board-up windows and review an evacuation plan.
A hurricane warning means a hurricane is expected within 24
hours. Turn off utilities, move furniture to upper levels of the
house if you are in a storm surge area and store valuables and
personal papers in a waterproof container.
Floods
Elevate homes in flood-prone areas.
Elevate the main breaker or fuse box, and any heating, ventilating,
and cooling equipment.
Install and check valves in building sewer traps to prevent water
from backing up in sewer drains.
Anchor the legs of your fuel tank into a large concrete slab.
Tornados
Build a safe room in your house. For information on building a
safe room, visit www.fema.gov/mit/saferoom/ and request a copy
of “Taking Shelter from the Storm, Building a Safe Room Inside
Your House.”
Determine if your home uses connections between the roof,
walls and foundation.
Use devices like anchors, clips and straps to secure wood
frame buildings.
Properly brace the end wall of gabled roofs to reduce lift loads.
Reinforce or retrofit garage doors for strength.
Wildfires
Create a 25’ safety zone to separate the home from combustible
plants and vegetation. Stone walls can act as heat shields and
deflect flames. Swimming pools and patios can be a safety zone.
Prune all branches around the residence to a height of 8 to 10
feet. Keep trees adjacent to buildings free of dead or dying wood
and moss.
Remove all dead limb, needles, and debris from rain gutters.
Store combustible or flammable materials in approved safety
containers and keep them away from the house.
The following are some preventative steps
communities, businesses and homeowners
can take to reduce property and casualty
loss caused by natural disasters. Identifying
potential hazards ahead of time can reduce
the dangers of serious injury or loss.
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