Natural disasters are the most common type of disaster and many of us are likely to experience at least one in our lives. No matter where you are in the country, there is some type of natural disaster to be worried about, from hurricanes to tornadoes to earthquakes. These disasters come when we least expect them and hit us in ways we aren’t prepared for. One effect of natural disasters would be damage to our homes. Although some disasters, like tornadoes, may completely destroy a house, some disasters leave only a few rooms uninhabitable. If you are unable to pay for the damages right then, or too many homes were damaged to rely on a timely repair, there are different things you can do yourself to help the situation.
First thing you should do is seal off your roof, windows, and walls. You need to keep the weather out of your home. This would just be a temporary patch, not a full repair. This only takes a few materials which can be stored in your garage. These materials and some basic hand tools will let you dry in your home and keep your loved ones safe.
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2” x 4” Studs - You can use these to build framework for just about anything.
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Plywood - This allows you to patch up walls, floors, and roofs.
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Tarps - Tarps can be used to cover a roof and keep out the rain.
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Furring Strips or Lath Strips - Wind can cause nail heads to pull through tarps. You can prevent this by putting a washer under the nailhead.
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Nails - Make sure you get nails in a variety of sizes.
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Visqueen - This is clear plastic sheeting that can be used to cover windows. Since it’s clear, it will still allow light to pass through unlike tarps.
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Duct Tape - You can use duct tape to seal around the visqueen or any other general sealing. Buying a good brand is important!
Those items should take care of the damaged exterior of your home. Which will make it safer to inhabit and keep the weather out. But there are a few more items you should add to your list!
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Plumbing Fittings - Most plumbing in homes have plastic pipes. Find out the size of your pipes and buy fittings and caps (as well as adhesive).
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Wire Nuts & Electrical Tape - Exposed wires are a fire danger. You can usually solve this issue by tripping the circuit breaker that the wire is connected to. The wire nuts and electrical tape are just precautions.
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General Hardware - A good assortment of hardware will help in a long-term survival situation. Most likely, you’ll be making things and doing repairs.
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Caulking - Caulking can be used to seal cracks in walls, fix water leaks, and block out insects.
Be sure to have all of the manual tools required to use these materials. In a grid-down situation, power tools wouldn’t be available and you’d need to rely on the manual versions.
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Crosscut Saw
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Drill
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Screwdrivers
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Hammer
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Wrenches
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Pliers
Remember, these repairs are important for functionality, not beauty. So if anyone makes fun of how your repairs look, at least you’ll be dry and warm!