Between high winds, heavy rains, storm surges, and flooding, hurricanes can cause extensive damage to homes in their path.

Fortunately, hurricanes are uncommon in Maryland, but as their frequency increases in the Atlantic over time, it’s a good idea to remain vigilant and prepare your home if a hurricane or its remnants make landfall.

This guide offers some simple steps to reduce the chances of damage to your home during hurricanes, tropical storms, or major thunderstorms.

Clean Your Gutters

Gutters are designed to collect the rainwater from your roof and move it away from your home, where it has less chance of causing damage or erosion near your foundation. Clogged gutters can allow water to back up and spill out of the gutters, collecting near the foundation.

This water can seep into your basement, causing it to flood and even overwhelm your floor drains, causing sewage backflow. Keeping your gutters clean, especially before a storm, can help avoid any potential damage or messes resulting from flooding.

Install a Sump Pump

Adding a sump pump to your home can help keep your basement dry during the heavy rain and flooding that’s common with hurricanes. It’s an investment that helps you avoid the expense of repairing water damage and replacing any basement appliances after a storm.

If you already have a sump pump to deal with groundwater intrusion, it’s important to test it often, schedule routine maintenance, and repair it as necessary to ensure it’s ready for an emergency.

Test Your Backflow Preventer

Your backflow preventer helps protect your home’s water supply from contamination in the event of something like a water main break, extensive flooding, or back-siphoning.

Backflow preventers can deteriorate with age, so they should be tested often to ensure a safe, healthy drinking water supply during an emergency.

A professional plumber certified in backflow testing can inspect your system, test it, and make any necessary repairs to keep your home protected.

Secure Your Outdoor HVAC Unit

Heavy rain and wind-blown debris can easily damage your HVAC unit during a major storm. Keep it protected during a hurricane by:

• Turning off your HVAC system
• Covering the outdoor unit with a tarp
• Securing the tarp with hurricane straps

If the outdoor portion of your air conditioner or heat pump is installed directly on or near the ground, consider having a concrete platform built to secure it during a storm and raise it high enough to prevent damage from flooding.

Clean Up Items & Landscaping Around Your Home

Any kind of debris in your yard can turn into a projectile during a hurricane, breaking windows, damaging siding, or even puncturing the coils of your HVAC unit.

Keep an eye on the forecast and clean up your yard before any storms make landfall to minimize the potential for damage. Put away loose items like patio furniture, outdoor toys, or gardening tools. Trim any trees or shrubs, especially if they have weak branches that may break off during a storm.

Install a Whole-Home Generator

Losing power is quite common during a hurricane or even heavy thunderstorms. Consider installing a whole-home generator to ensure you have the electricity needed during a power outage or emergency. A standby generator can power critical equipment, including your:

• HVAC units
• Sump pump
• Refrigerator
• Electric oven and cooktop
• Lights
• Medical equipment

Invest in a whole-home backup power solution to keep your family comfortable and safe during a hurricane.

Prepare an Emergency Kit

Having a well-stocked emergency kit can help you stay prepared for hurricanes, floods, power outages, and other disasters, natural or man-made. Here are some of the basics you should include in your emergency kit:

• Bottled water and non-perishable foods
• Any necessary prescription medications
• Food and medications for pets
• A first-aid kit
• Fire extinguishers
• An emergency radio
• Flashlights
• Extra batteries
• A charger and power bank for your mobile phone
• A gas can for your car
• Important documents in a waterproof bag

Schedule Plumbing, HVAC & Generator Services in Baltimore, MD

With help from United Air Temp, your Baltimore home will be ready for any storm. We offer standby generator installations, sump pump services, backflow testing, plumbing services, and more. We can also help you recover after a storm with a full line of plumbing and HVAC repair services.

Our company has been a leader in home comfort since 1931. We offer same-day service, 24/7 emergency service, and on-time scheduling with convenient two-hour arrival windows. We have the best local technicians backed by excellent customer reviews and guaranteed satisfaction. Our team also offers upfront pricing and special offers to help you save.

Call United Air Temp today to schedule plumbing, HVAC, or whole-home generator services in the Baltimore area.