As a Florida homeowner, you know all too well the potential destruction and disruption that hurricane season can bring. It’s important to take preemptive steps so your family, home, and belongings are as safe as possible during these times of inclement weather.
One factor that often gets overlooked is how to protect important documents from the chaos of a storm—until now! In this blog post, we will be exploring the best practices for protecting your essential paperwork from hurricanes this season.
We’ll look at techniques like organizing file folders, scanning items into digital archives or cloud storage services, safeguarding valuables in fireproof safes and vaults. Keep reading to find out how else you can be prepared for hurricane season with minimal effort but maximal peace of mind!
Gather important documents and store them in a waterproof container
When it comes to important documents, it’s important to take steps to protect them from damage. Whether it’s a natural disaster or a simple spill, water damage can ruin vital information. That’s why it’s a good idea to gather all of your essential documents together and store them in a waterproof container. This could include things like birth certificates, passports, insurance policies, and wills. Not only will this keep them safe in case of emergency, but it will also give you peace of mind knowing that your most important documents are in one place and protected from harm.
Update your insurance policies to ensure they cover hurricane damage
As hurricane season approaches, it’s crucial to ensure that your insurance policies are up-to-date and will provide adequate coverage in the event of storm-related damage. Checking your policies for coverage of hurricane damage can not only give you peace of mind but also save you from significant financial losses. Hurricanes can wreak havoc on homes and businesses, and it’s vital to make sure that you have the appropriate coverage for damages such as wind damage, flooding, and water intrusion. Don’t wait until it’s too late – take the time now to review your insurance policies and make any necessary updates to prepare for the upcoming hurricane season.
Create digital copies of important documents so they can be easily accessed even if the physical copies are destroyed
In today’s digital age, it’s more important than ever to protect our important documents. Whether it’s your passport, birth certificate, or even your favorite family recipes, losing the physical copies can be devastating. That’s why creating digital copies is the way to go. With advances in technology, it’s easier than ever to make a digital copy of almost anything.
By doing so, you can store them safely on your computer or in the cloud, making them easily accessible whenever you need them. So go ahead and take the time to create digital copies of your important documents. You never know when you’ll need them, and it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Back up all data on an external hard drive or cloud storage service
Backing up all of your important data can be a daunting task, but it is crucial to ensure that your information remains safe and accessible. One option is to use an external hard drive, which allows you to store your files offline and keep them separate from your main device. Alternatively, cloud storage services provide the convenience of being able to access your data from any device with an internet connection. Whether you choose an external hard drive or cloud storage, the most important thing is to make sure that you regularly back up all of your files in case of any unforeseen accidents or system failures.
iCloud
If you have an iPhone, you should have up to 5GB of storage for iCloud.
Follow the steps in this video below to upload your photos into iCloud so that you can save your important documents in the cloud.
Google Drive
Did you know that having a Google or Gmail account automatically gives you a free 15GB Google Drive account? That’s 3X the space of iCloud!
This means that you can store all of your important documents and files in one place, without the risk of them getting destroyed or lost. Plus, the added convenience of being able to easily share these documents via email is a real game-changer. No more worrying about carrying around physical copies or having to fax things back and forth.
Fortunately, taking pictures of those documents and uploading them to your Google Drive is a quick and easy way to ensure that you always have access to them. And if you want to take it a step further, organizing them into folders can help you stay even more organized and save you time when you need to find a specific document.
There’s a lot of information out there on how to store your important documents on either iCloud or Google Drive; more than I could do it justice in this post.
Create a contact list of emergency services that could be useful during a storm
In times of natural disasters like storms, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. One way to ensure your safety is by having a list of emergency services readily available. Whether it’s seeking shelter, reporting an emergency, or seeking medical attention, having a contact list filled with useful numbers can significantly ease your mind during such trying times. It’s always wise to include numbers like the local police department, fire department, hospital, and a nearby shelter in your contact list. Additionally, it wouldn’t hurt to have a few more numbers like your insurance agent or any emergency service providers that you may have subscribed to. Remember, in times of emergencies, every second counts, and having a well-curated list can prove to be a life-saver.
Take photos of your home before the storm so you can prove any damages after it has passed
As the storm approaches, it’s vital to take action to protect your home from any possible damage. One crucial step is to take photos of your property before the storm hits. By doing so, you can have a record of what your home looked like before any destruction. This documentation can be incredibly helpful when it comes time to make an insurance claim or prove damages. It’s essential to take clear and detailed pictures of each room, as well as the exterior of your home, including landscaping and outdoor structures. Hopefully, the storm will pass without causing any significant harm, but if not, having photographic evidence can save you time and stress in the long run.
Preparing for hurricane season in Florida is always a difficult challenge, but including the steps listed here can help ensure that you are well-prepared should a storm arrive. Gather your important documents and store them in a waterproof container, update your insurance policies to cover damage, create backups of digital copies of these important items, have contact numbers available of emergency services, take photos of your home before the storm – all these tips are essential steps in hurricane season prep.
Taking the time to complete these tasks now can save you and your family immense grief during and after a hurricane passes. Take action today; do what needs to be done before it’s too late. To read more tips on preparing for hurricane season in Florida, check out our other posts in our hurricane season prep series.
