Midwest summers inevitably bring a greater chance for weather events, most notably severe thunderstorms, and tornados. Without proper preparation, you can risk major damage to your home from these storms. Below, we are sharing a few tips you can follow to keep you and your family safe in your home during the stormy season.
- Perform a safety inspection of the outside of your home: Each season, you should remember to perform a basic safety inspection of the exterior of your home. This inspection is meant to alert you to any cracking, rusting or deformations of your home that may relate to its safety. This includes inspecting your roof, skirting and frame of your home.
- Make a safety plan for your family: No matter where you live, developing a safety plan is key to keeping you and your family safe through a major weather event. Decide what part of your home is the safest and plan to camp out there in case of emergency. Purchasing a weather radio is also another good idea.
- Remove any heavy objects from higher shelving: Larger, heavy objects sitting on high-bearing shelves can be a recipe for disaster when it comes to severe weather events like tornados. Removing these objects, at least temporarily, is a smart idea to limit any damage to your home that may be caused by a high-wind storm.
- Have an emergency kit ready: You never really know when a weather emergency will strike, so it is best to be prepared ahead of time. Preparing a small bag with a few of the following items and keeping it accessible is smart:
- A few non-perishable food items
- Water bottles
- Flashlight
- Batteries
- Small First-Aid Kit
- Understand how your home was constructed: Modern manufactured homes have special safety features that were installed with the primary motive to keep you and your family safe! Today’s manufactured homes are much more prepared for inclement weather than you may think. Researching your specific model of home and its safety may ease your nerves and help you to feel safer in your day-to-day life.
