If you live by the coast, the weather can be quite unpredictable. One minute the sun is shining, and the next, it's down-pouring. It's best to be prepared for sporadic storms by following these helpful home safety tips:

• Check your gutters: Make sure that your gutters are working properly to protect your home's foundation. Excess water can certainly harm your home and result in floods. Experts recommend attaching extensions at the base of all spouts to protect your home.
• Maintain a sump pump: Many basements have sump pumps installed which can removed excessive groundwater. It's important to check out this system before storm season. Flooded basements can result in very expensive damage, harming floors, walls as well as any personal items stored within the room.
• Repair your roof: If your roof has any damage, it could result in leaks throughout your home. Inclement weather, such as hail, can certainly cause tears and cracks within the roof. Hire a professional roofer to inspect your shingles and gutters for any damage.
• Trim branches: "Trees provide beautiful shade and backyard homes for birds and squirrels, but they can also cause great damage to a home during a storm," writes a blogger for the Boca Raton Tribune. "Hire an arborist to trim back limbs, or to remove trees completely if they are too close to the home. Broken branches or toppled trees frequently cause power outages and property damage during and following storms."

For more safety tips, be sure to follow our blog or contact Fundy Mutual Insurance. Our goal is to help you and your home stay safe!