Unless you’ve been living underground, you may have noticed that weather events have become more extreme lately. Summers are hotter, storms are more severe as well as more frequent, and droughts last longer. Extremely high temperatures and storms in some parts of the country have led to power outages, which makes it more difficult to protect your home and property from weather-related damage. 

In addition, summer is a time when you may be having work done in your home, or you may spend more time entertaining. One way or another, if more people are entering your home, the risk to you as a homeowner climbs. 

There’s a good reason that June is National Safety Month. Beginning in 1996, the U.S. designated June to help promote awareness of and encourage efforts to keep our homes safe as well as to boost safety on the road and throughout the entire community.  

So how do you protect your property during peak season? There are a number of ways. 

Reduce the risk of accidents. There are easy ways to make your home safer. These include keeping clutter away from doorways and stairs, ensuring that electrical and other wires are secured, locking up dangerous chemicals or medications if there are children or pets in the house and ensuring that stairs, railings and walkways are kept in good repair. As adults get older, they are more likely to trip on items left around the home as well as carpets that don’t lie flat. Consider purchasing area rugs and bathroom mats that have a secure non-slip backing. 

Practice generator safety. With summer storms come the risk of power outages, and many families use generators during this time. Ensure that generators are properly maintained and located outdoors in a well-vented area to prevent any risk of carbon monoxide entering the home. 

Prepare for weather extremities. The climate is changing and making weather events more extreme. As a result, “once-in-a-century” storms are occurring far more often – every few years, in some cases – and therefore raising your chances of experiencing a flood, a fire, wind and tree damage or other calamities. Ensure you have an emergency response plan and a kit that will help you get through the days after the weather event that includes blankets, device chargers, bottled water, easy to prepare non-perishable foods, a change of clothing, a first-aid kit and a radio. 

Protect against intrusions. Nowadays, home intrusion doesn’t just mean a physical break-in. Thieves are at least as likely to enter your home through the cyber realm as a window. Keep your home safe with sturdy locks, good doors, an alarm and other security efforts. Keep your cyber-life safe by using strong passwords, and never click on suspicious emails or links. Change your passwords regularly and pay attention to notifications of data breaches by the companies you do business with. 

Ensure your insurance is up to par. In recent years, your home’s value may have changed. Your risk may have changed as well: homes that weren’t located in a flood risk zone or a region prone to wildfire may now be at risk of those very disasters. For this reason, it’s a good idea to revisit your insurance and ensure that you are carrying adequate levels of coverage for weather damage, auto accidents, personal injury and other unfortunate events. 

To be sure that your home insurance policy covers all possibilities from storms or injuries, ensure that your policy is up to date. In Connecticut, Petruzelo Insurance offers personal and business policies that fit your needs and protect your home and business. Call us at 866-479-3327 or visit our website for more information.