A carbon monoxide (CO) alarms in the laundry room.

Prepare Your Home for an Active Hurricane Season: Essential Safety Tips

With NOAA predicting a high likelihood of an above-normal hurricane season, ensure your family’s safety by implementing these critical measures, from CO alarm checks to emergency water storage

Security

8/20/24

As hurricane and storm seasons approach, it’s essential to ensure your home is prepared for the potential hazards that come with severe weather. In fact, NOAA predicted an 85% chance of an above-normal 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, including 17-25 named storms and 4-7 major hurricanes, so if you live in an area that can be affected by hurricanes, this year it is even more crucial that you make sure your prepared.

Ensure you have working carbon monoxide (CO) alarms

sc9120b-first alert hardwire combination smoke carbon monoxide alarm battery backup Deaths from CO poisoning often spike after hurricanes and storms due to improper use of portable generators. Working CO alarms are the only way to detect the deadly gas, and a recent report by UL Standards & Engagement revealed that 86.2 million adults in the U.S. have no CO detection in their homes. Our experts can talk about how to test them, how many you need in your home, where to install them, etc.

Avoid CO build up if using a generator

Make sure to place the generator at least 20 feet away from any doors, windows and vent openings. CO poisonings send more than 100,000 people to the emergency department in the U.S. each year — possibly far more, as symptoms are often misdiagnosed. Portable generators account for 81%of CO deaths, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Never use a generator in an attached garage, even if the door is open.

Charge your phone and your battery pack

Connectivity in severe weather is critical. Keep your phone charged up before a storm hits to ensure you don’t lose contact, and always be prepared in case power is lost by keeping a battery pack.

Prepare for and monitor potential water leaks

The First Alert L1 WiFi Water and Freeze Detector is a WiFi enabled device that can send you notifications alerting you to water leaks as soon as they start, helping you avoid potential damage to your home and costly repairs.
The homeowner is checking the L1 Water leak detector.

Fill your bathtub with water

If your community's sewage lines become damaged from a tornado or hurricane, damaged sewage lines can contaminate your drinking or cleaning water. If you fill your bathtub with water, it can be used to flush the toilet, for drinking or cooking.

"After a storm, many people rely on generators for power. But what some don't realize is that these lifesavers can also produce the silent killer,” said Ryan Park, Safety and Security Product Leader at Resideo. “Carbon monoxide from generators can enter our homes, causing an increased chance of CO poisoning. That's why having working CO alarms is so important, especially during hurricane season.”

For more tips on how to keep your home and family safe, visit Resideo.com.