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Weather, Storms, and Emergencies
We want you to stay protected and prepared in case of an emergency.
Preparing Your Home for Winter
We may not get long-term freezes and deep snow drifts like our friends in the north; however, it is still important to prepare for the colder weather and the occasional freeze to help you save on energy costs and keep your home comfortable
all winter long. Follow these helpful checklist items to get your home ready for the winter.
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Home Fire Safety Tips Everyone Should Know
Even if you've taken all the preventative steps and have built a home to the highest safety standards, fire can still strike. However, you can put your mind at ease by following these five home fire prevention tips to lessen the likelihood of a fire.
We’ve also outlined six tips to keep your home and family safe in the event a fire does occur.
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Concerned About Hail Damage? Here's What to Do.
The strong winds, flying debris, and the wind-driven hail of a fast-moving hailstorm can result in real damage to your home — particularly to your roof, siding, and gutters.
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4 Steps for Fixing Water Damage
You’ve identified the source of the water—a burst or leaking pipe and shut it off. Now what do you do? Water damage can be a big deal, but try not to panic. You’re not alone, and you can get help.
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Your Emergency Readiness Kit: What to Have on Hand
Recent events highlight that being prepared for emergencies is critical to the safety and comfort of your family. Even if you never need an emergency readiness kit (and we certainly hope you won’t!), the peace of mind that comes from being prepared
is priceless.
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How to Prepare for a Hailstorm
Along with the wildflowers and warm temperatures of spring comes the downside: hail season. While hailstorms can happen at any time of year, they are most common in McCoy’s states from March to May.
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Hurricane Preparedness: Boarding Up Windows
If you're new to coastal living, this may be your first time boarding up windows in preparation for a hurricane. Yet, even old salts may be surprised to discover the best method depends on the materials used on your home's exterior. Find out about the
options and the steps you can take to keep your home protected during a hurricane.
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Flood Cleanup: First Steps to Reclaiming Your Home
It feels devastating when floodwaters enter your home. Still, the truth is flooding is pretty common in the McCoy’s states. While there’s no denying that flood cleanup is work, in most cases you CAN reclaim your home if it’s been flooded. What
you’ll ultimately need to do depends not only on the amount of actual damage to your home...
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11 Ways to Prepare Your Home for Flooding
According to the National Severe Storm Laboratory in Norman, OK, flooding is the most common of all weather-related natural disasters. Even people who live in areas that have never flooded should have a plan in place. That’s because flooding can
result from something as simple as a storm drain that typically diverts water being blocked.
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7 Quick Tips to Get Your Home Ready for a Freeze
If you’re one of those people who has a never-ending to-do list (and hey, how many of us born-to-builders don’t?!) then you probably know that feeling of waking up in the middle of the night, realizing there are projects still waiting. Usually,
that’s not a problem. After all, there’s always tomorrow. But, if you skipped your regular home winterizing, don’t just hope that the weather will continue to be mild!
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De-icing Your Walkways: Tips and Tricks
We may not get many ice days here in the McCoy’s states, but we learned last year to be prepared. If your driveway froze over last February, you might have found that it turned into your own personal ice rink and just walking to your mailbox became
an arctic adventure. To prevent slips and falls, proper application of de-icing salt or a DIY mixture can help melt ice and provide traction.
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High Winds or Tornados: What You Can Do to Prep Your Home
If you live in “Tornado Alley” you’ve seen the damage tornadoes and high winds can cause. In fact, if you live anywhere within the McCoy’s states, you’ve likely experienced high winds occasionally.
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Assessing Tornado or Wind Damage to Your Home
When a tornado touches down in a neighborhood, the effects are often clear. Less newsworthy--and obvious--is the damage caused by straight-line winds. Even a home in good condition is susceptible to high wind damage.
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Hurricane Damage: Dos and Don’ts for Restoring Your Home
Even if you’ve done everything possible to prepare, a hurricane can still surprise you. The sustained winds may be stronger than expected, the storm could linger longer than planned with more inches of rain, and the storm surge could be higher than
predicted. While every situation is unique, there are some basic first steps...
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The Top 12 Tips for Working Safely in the Heat
Here in the McCoy's states, it gets hot. Really, really hot. In fact, heat is the top weather-related threat to your health. Yet, most DIYers spend a lot more time prepping their homes for the surprisingly less dangerous events of floods, tornadoes, lightning,
and winter storms than they do prepping themselves for hot-weather projects. And for those who make their living outside, an early heat wave may be a nasty surprise.
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Wildfire Protection and Home Safety Tips
Wildfire safety is essential and with dry, hot weather making them a possibility, wildfires or their smoke can pose a risk to your home and family. Taking precautions in advance like limiting the amount of flammable material around your home, having emergency
procedures in place, and knowing how to deal with smoke will help keep your home and family safe.
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