Do-It-Yourself tips to prepare homes for hurricanes

Florida has had about twice as many hurricane landfalls in recorded history as any state, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. There are several easy steps homeowners can take to reduce the chances their property becomes a statistic. Hurricane season begins June 1.

Hurricane season begins shortly so Florida homeowners should consider the following do-it- yourself tips to protect their property:

•    Install storm shutters to protect windows from strong winds.

•    Identify somewhere to secure outdoor items like furniture, garden tools, toys and garbage cans. Strong winds can turn these items into projectiles that may damage homes and cause injuries.

•    Clean gutters and downspouts. Leaves, twigs and debris can clog them and prevent rainwater from efficiently draining away from homes.

•    Buy flood insurance. Most home insurance policies do not cover the expensive damage of hurricane-related flooding. National Flood Insurance Program policies become effective 30 days after the date of purchase so homeowners should purchase one before it’s too late. Learn more at www.floodsmart.gov.

For Hurricane Irma recovery information, visit www.FEMA.gov/IrmaFL.

Follow FEMA and the Florida Division of Emergency Management on Twitter at

@FEMARegion4 and @FLSERT. You may also visit FEMA and the Division’s Facebook pages at Facebook.com/FEMA and Facebook.com/FloridaSERT.

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This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Do-It-Yourself tips to prepare homes for hurricanes