How To Prepare For The Summer Storm Season
Many people think of “storm preparation” as preparing for winter storms. We’ve all heard about people getting “snowed in” and not being able to leave their homes until someone shovels them out. Maybe even a few of you have experienced that yourself! But storm seasons spread throughout the year, with summer being the most common season for hail and tornadoes. Oftentimes, tornadoes are accompanied by hail, and even if you avoid the funnel clouds, hail can still cause property damage, power outages, and injuries. At Hail Depot, we want our friends and customers to stay safe during any kind of storm.
Here are some storm preparedness tips that you can use year round:
Before Storms Hit
Before hail season begins or during clear days throughout the summer, there are actions you can take to prepare for severe storms.
- Take care of trees on your property. All dead trees should be removed, and dead branches should be trimmed. Hail and strong winds can cause dead or injured trees and branches to fall, so removing this hazard is an important first step.
- Bring in patio and lawn furniture. When high winds, tornadoes, or hail are predicted, either bring in lightweight patio furniture or tie it down. The wind could blow it away and cause injuries or property damage.
- Review your insurance coverage. Make sure that you have a comprehensive auto insurance plan that will cover auto hail damage and damage from other natural disasters. This could also be called “other than collision” insurance.
- Update your emergency contact list. This can include anyone from family members to contractors, insurance providers, and utility company contact information. Since severe hail often causes dents and dings in your car, knowing who to contact for car dent removal is also important. At Hail Depot, we specialize in auto hail damage repair. Since paintless dent removal is our specialty, we can provide excellent service at affordable prices.
- Know how to turn off your gas and electric. In case there is damage that causes a gas leak, it is important to know how to shut this utility off in an emergency.
- Clean up your garage. Many people park their cars outside during the summer and use their garage as storage. Before storm season hits, make sure you have enough room to pull your car inside for added protection.
- Have a storm preparedness kit ready to go. At minimum, this should include the following:
- Plenty of bottled water in case water supplies get cut off
- Non-perishable food that can be prepared without electricity
- First Aid supplies
- Flashlights with extra batteries
- Any necessary tools to turn off utilities, such as a wrench or pliers
- Baby formula, diapers, and wipes if applicable
During The Storm
If you have followed the above tips, you should be pretty prepared to handle what happens during the storm.
- Stay inside. Even small hailstones can cause injuries. If there are also high winds, you can be extra vulnerable to injury, and even fatality. Make sure to bring all pets inside.
- Listen to weather reports. As stated above, hail and tornadoes can go hand-in-hand. As a country, we have awesome weather tracking abilities. Citizens in the path of hurricanes usually have a fair amount of warning. However, tornadoes and hail often only allow for a few hours of warning, if that. If what you think is just a hailstorm turns out to be a tornado, it is vital to your safety to be aware of that information.
- Stay away from windows. During hail storms, windows can shatter and cause injuries. Tornadoes and high winds make hailstorms extra dangerous, so staying as far away from windows as possible is the safest bet.
After The Storm
- Use caution. Check for any gas leaks, electrical problems, or broken glass. Take necessary actions if any of these occurrences happen. Get medical attention for any injuries.
- Take pictures of any damage. Pictures could be a necessary piece of documentation for any insurance claims.
- Contact your insurance company. If there is significant damage to your property or vehicles, this will be a necessary step to begin the process of filing a claim.
Hail Depot Can Remove Dents And Dings From Damaged Cars
Finding a contractor to repair damages to your house is difficult enough. We want to make repairing damage to your car easy so you have one less thing to worry about. Hail Depot specializes in auto dent removal and paintless dent repair (PDR), so we can offer lower prices than your average car garage. And because you are working with technicians who have spent years perfecting their craft, you know you will get pristine, top-quality PDR repair for all of your hail dent removal needs. If you are in need of hail damage repair, give us a call today. If you are preparing for storm season, and we hope you are, take action now by storing our contact information in your phone. Being prepared is the first step for hassle-free hail dent removal. Trust Hail Depot to make hail damage repair as easy as possible! Call today!