Successfully getting on the housing ladder and securing your first home can be one of the most important steps in life. Often, it’s the result of years of planning, preparation, and saving, along with securing a well-paying job that will allow you to afford to repay the mortgage on a property.
When you move into your home, it’s often a time of great excitement as you look to add some personal touches around the property to make the space truly your own. In addition, it’s highly beneficial to have a basic knowledge of DIY so that you can undertake small repair and maintenance tasks around the home when work is needed.
However, occasionally, homeowners will be faced with true home emergencies that require quick thinking and remaining calm. This brief guide explores three types of home emergencies, with information on how you can deal with them effectively.
Preparing for power cuts
Winter is rapidly approaching, which is a season characterized by icy, cold weather and occasional storms or snow. During this period, high winds, extreme snowfall, and temperatures that fall below freezing may increase the likelihood of experiencing power cuts in your home.
While these usually only last for a short duration before power is restored, it’s important to prepare for them, especially if they occur outside the shorter winter daylight hours. For example, ensure that you keep a first aid kit in your home. This may be vital if any accidents occur in the dark and you need to apply bandages or antiseptic creams to open wounds.
In addition, ensure that you have a few torches in your home that have fresh batteries in them. This will help you and your family move around safely in the dark. Whilst smartphones have built-in torches, you may not always have a full charge on your phone, so it’s better to use a dedicated torch with a long battery life.
In the event of severe storms
Severe storms that can lead to hurricane-level winds can occur more often than you might think, and their effect on your home can be catastrophic. In 2022, 40 storms produced hurricane-strength winds and these can wreak havoc, damaging any buildings and infrastructure that are in their path.
While you can’t predict when and where a hurricane or storm-force winds will occur, you can prepare for them. Firstly, it’s important to have the contact details of a building firm that specializes in repairing storm damage, like the one that can be found at https://ncricat.com/services/disaster-services-storm-damage/. Calling such specialists out after a storm will ensure that an accurate assessment can take place to ascertain the level of damage that has been sustained to your home. Such firms can undertake emergency repairs and secure windows and doors, so your home remains safe while restorative work is being undertaken. Ideally, you’ll have the contact details of several such companies, as when a major storm hits, it may be difficult to secure help when many other properties have also been damaged.
It’s also important to keep stocks of emergency supplies, food, and bottled water in the event of severe storms. Often, they lead to power and water outages for days or even weeks, so it makes sense to be prepared for such disruption.
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