Small precautions now go a long way to prevent storm damage, says expert

Dennis Hwang from the University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program discusses disaster preparedness as he reviews a hurricane track. He is a co-author of ”Homeowner’s Handbook to Prepare for Natural Hazards” available trough the UH Sea Grant College Program.

Whether the next two storms come close, it’s not too early to take the necessary precautions to protect yourselves and your property. An expert says little things that you do now or ahead of time can go a long way in preventing rain and wind damage.

Heavy rain during a storm can not only flood your home but can also lead to tragedy. So keeping water away from your property is a priority. Something as simple as cleaning out your rain gutters is an important preparation for upcoming storms.

“A lot of times there’s leaves or other debris that collect in gutters. It clogs, once it clogs up and it starts raining they get heavy and they’re likely to collapse,” said Dennis Hwang from the University of Hawai‘i Sea Grant College Program.

Once the rain gutters collapse, the pieces of metal can also fly around like projectiles to cause more damage. Hwang, who is the co-author of the Homeowner’s Handbook to Prepare for Natural Hazards, says homeowners should also clear drainage paths leading out of your property.

As for the winds, Hwang says the best protection is making sure you have hurricane clips, which attach your walls to the roof. To protect your windows, install storm panel screws well ahead of time so you can put the plywood on quickly when needed. “The key is to do this beforehand. It takes one hour to prepare each panel but once you’re prepared it takes five minutes to put up,” said Hwang.

UPDATE: Read more about it and watch the video reports at KHON2: an initial overview and a more detailed preparedness report.