Your Home Emergency Checklist: Be Prepared in 2022

Your home is worth far more than the price you pay for it. It’s your sanctuary, your safe place, and your base of operations for everything you do. It’s vitally important that you protect it at all costs, as emergencies can occur.

It’s best to be prepared for any type of emergency, so we’ve compiled a checklist of things you need to think about when protecting your home in 2022.

Be Proactive – Sign Up for Emergency Alerts

FEMA and The Red Cross both have apps that communicate local emergencies like storms, hurricanes, blizzards, tornadoes, floods, and wildfires.

Additionally, your phone provider might send alerts for severe weather and other emergencies. Knowing what is coming helps you be prepared and ready to handle any emergency.

Make Sure You Always Have Clean Drinking Water

Hurricanes and other disasters can result in non-potable water, which can be dangerous for people to consume. Make sure you have at least three days of drinking water on hand for each member of your family.

Rather than buying a ton of bottled water, you could invest in one of the many water filters on the market today. They are small and easy to store, and some can filter up to 1000 gallons of contaminated water.

Have Easy Access to Light Sources

You’d be surprised at how many people don’t keep flashlights with fresh batteries on hand. People who are prepared for long power outages do, and they often keep hand crank powered flashlights on hand as well, in the event all the batteries die.

Candles are good too, but they’re a fire hazard, and you don’t want to add insult to injury by starting a fire during a power outage. If it’s in your budget, consider investing in a generator so that you can keep your refrigerator and other essentials connected to power during an outage.

Prepare an Emergency Kit

In this emergency kit, keep a few flashlights, batteries, LED headlamps, and the following:

• First aid kit
• Manual can opener
• Cell phone power banks and chargers
• Hand sanitizer and moist towelettes
• Non-perishable snacks like nuts and crackers
• Cash for basic needs

Prepare A Travel Bag

If you must leave your home because of an emergency, it’s handy to have a “go bag” packed with the items in the emergency kit list. Keep this bag in a place that’s easy to access, and make sure everyone in the family knows where it is.

We also suggest packing a few regional maps in the “go bag,” so that if cellular networks are down and you can’t access your navigational systems, you can still find your way.

Prep Your Home for Disaster

Depending on the emergency at hand, you may have to do certain things to protect your home. There are also proactive things you can do to mitigate damage to your home when storms and other emergencies occur.

Keep large trees and bushes pruned and have your emergency plan in place ahead of time. If a storm with wind gusts is approaching, secure outdoor furniture. Know where your water, gas, and electrical lines are so that you can assess their condition in the event of a tornado, hurricane, or other storm.

Avoiding Home Damage

If the power goes out and you don’t have a generator, unplug appliances and electronics, to prevent surge damage when the electricity comes back on. If water lines are at risk of damage, fill your bathtub with water and turn the water off to prevent pipe leaks and subsequent water damage.

Of course, there are other items people may purchase to prepare for any type of emergency. Portable toilets, LED lanterns, glow sticks, emergency blankets, generators and other prep items are readily available on Amazon and other ecommerce sites. It never hurts to be over prepared for an emergency in your home.

If the worst occurs and you need help restoring a portion of your home, our team works with your insurance to get your home back up to snuff, comfortable, and whole.