House fires are the most common disaster in the United States. Every year, there are more than 88,000 home fires across the country that are responsible for about 2,500 fire deaths and 11,500 injuries. Most house fires occur during the late fall and winter, especially December and January, when space heaters, furnaces, and fireplaces introduce greater fire risks in the home. Still, many home fires do occur during the summer, especially due to fireworks and outdoor grilling.

At MyHandyman, we recommend taking the following steps to safeguard your home during the summertime. (more…)

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1. Get An Idea Of The Risks To Your Home

It is best to follow updates on the hurricane heading your way through your local news or through FEMA’s coverage center. The National Weather Service will also provide charts indicating the areas that should expect to have flooding and the estimated wind speeds that your area will encounter. Usually, if you are in an area that is anticipating hurricane-force winds and or in an area with large bodies of water, evacuation recommendations and orders will be put in place by your states local government. You should determine whether you should expect floods inside of your home and familiarize yourself with what kind of damage occurs at different hurricane category wind speeds. All of these factors will influence your decision to stay and ride out the storm in your home, go to a public shelter, or evacuate elsewhere. FEMA will also provide a list of public shelters and specify which ones will accommodate special needs and or pets. Ensure that you follow the instruction of your utility companies and turn off anything they advise you to turn off.

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