Preparing Your Home For Hurricanes

Thursday marks the official beginning of the 2006 hurricane season, and it's expected to be another active one.

So, now's when homeowners should start preparing, in case any of the storms hits their area.

The Early Show's home improvement guru Danny Lipford, who also hosts "Today's Homeowner," has a bunch of suggestions about protecting your home from hurricanes.

He joined the show Thursday us from his "project house" in his hometown of Mobile, Ala.

Lipford has lived on the Gulf Coast his entire life, so he knows a thing or two about hurricane preparedness! He says a little preparation and forethought can help you predict and possibly reduce damage to your home.

Lipford points out that there are a number of preparations that can't be done thoroughly at the last minute. So, before a storm threatens your area, get them done. First, it's a good idea to talk with your insurance agent to ensure that your home is fully covered from hurricane and flood damage. Also, you should be familiar with your local evacuation and shelter plans and have a reliable out-of-area contact. It'd also wise to inspect the exterior of your home. Make sure to trim any damaged or weak tree limbs that could become projectiles during a storm. You should thoroughly check both the roof and gutters of your home. Use binoculars if you don't feel comfortable on the roof yourself. Any loose or torn shingles should be repaired to prevent further damage. All gutters should be appropriately attached to the home to move water away from the home and reduce the chance of flood in the interior. Repair loose shutters, shingles, siding, and gutters. And consider installing storm shutters. They can give you a head start on protecting your home from hurricanes.

If there's a possibility of a hurricane making landfall, you should have a hurricane kit ready, to ensure you'll have all the essentials if supplies run low. The kit should include water, nonperishable food, a first aid kit, clothing, toiletries, some games and toys, flashlights, batteries, a battery-powered radio/TV, cash, and important documents, including home-related papers. A generator can also be a useful investment in the event of a hurricane, but make sure to store it and any extra fuel outside of the home. And, for safety reasons, never run a generator in the home or the garage. One of the most important steps to prevent damage to your home is to cover up all the windows and doors, especially those with glass. Cut and label plywood boards ahead of time, allowing for easy and quick installation if the need arises.

If you're under a mandatory evacuation order, it's important that you leave. But, it will be easier to if you know you've taken the appropriate steps to protect it. When a hurricane watch is issued, begin boarding up windows, doors and any other openings. Also, remove anything from your yard that could become a projectile and damage your home, or your neighbors'. Garbage cans, toys, patio furniture, potted flowers, bird baths, and other lawn decorations should be moved inside. Any debris should be appropriately discarded. Once all the exterior preparations have been made, you can concentrate on the interior of your home. Invest in waterproof storage containers and plastic, to protect the items that can't be replaced.

For much more advice on this, from Lipford's Web site, click here.