Protect Your Home From Emergencies Without Breaking the Bank
Every day when you turn on the news, you see stories about disasters and emergencies. Whether it’s a fire or a hurricane, it seems calamity may strike a home at any time. According to Cheryl Reed from Angie’s List “No home is immune to catastrophe. Each year, storms and other disasters damage thousands of houses. Property and casualty losses during the first six months of this year totaled $7.9 billion. For all of 2012, losses were $35 billion, the second highest amount of annual insured losses since 1980, according to the Insurance Information Institute.” Angie’s List has even more tips for dealing with disaster insurance here. You know that there may be steps that could be taken to disaster-proof your home. However, you are also on a budget. So what do you do? Let’s take a look at some ways that you may be able to protect your home from emergencies without breaking the bank.
In the Event of a Storm
According to David Bakke of Money Crashers, “Invest in surge protectors and plug all of your expensive electronics like your PC and flat screen TV into them, rather than the wall outlet. You can find them for about $10 to $15 at your local home improvement center or hardware store. You’ll be protected in the event of a bad storm.”
To Prevent Fire:
Adam Conway of the Office of Emergency Management at the University of Alberta had this to say: “Don’t smoke in the house. DON’T. SMOKE. IN. THE. HOUSE.” And also, “Ensure every bedroom has an accessible and exit-able window.”
David Bakke had even more tips for dealing with fire: “Invest in a fireproof box or small safe so you can store your important documents such as birth certificates, passports, photos of all of your furniture (which will be helpful if you need to file a claim), and investment account information, among others.”
For All Emergencies
We got some great tips from Caroline Blazovsky, a National Healthy Home Expert: “Solar portable radios and lights are also a cheap option and can provide endless hours of power when without electricity for days. Also always have a tub-sized container filled outside with water to use for emergencies, flushing toilets, and extra water supply.”
So, when disaster strikes, you can be prepared, even if your coffers aren’t overflowing. Take a little time, and you can protect your home and your family, even on a budget.
In addition to following the tips in this post, contact your local fire department, police department, or insurance company to learn how to be better prepared for emergencies.
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