Hurricane Season expected to be very active this year.

This is the time of the year that the weather prognosticators make their predictions, and we get scared out our wits. Hurricanes are a fact of life in the Southeast, and all we can do is to be prepared for them. One of the most common questions that we get from homeowners is whether they should get hurricane panels for their windows. In our area, builders provide panels as per the building code. Most builders provide that very heavy "press board" cut into pieces that fit over the windows. Unless you do something to ease the installation of these, you actually have to screw them into the window frames. Well, I can tell you that this is a very time consuming and awkward process for most people. A lot of our customers count on us to be ready to install these panels just in case. I know that some people do nothing to prepare, because their feeling is that if there is a hurricane, their insurance will deal with everything, and it is really out of their hands. Everyone has their own opinion, and we are not here to make your mind up for you. I will say this: If you are close to the ocean or marsh, or rivers, don't take chances. Make sure that you have a plan in place. If you have not discussed your plan with anyone, do it right away. Do you have provisions like bottled water? How about a weather radio with extra batteries? Non-perishable foods, comfortable shoes or sneakers, cash and important papers are also important things to consider keeping at the ready. If you are evacuated, do you know what routes to take to get to safety?

All of this is definitely worth a conversation. At CCHW we are here, whether you are or your not. We will help give you the peace of mind that all is being done to protect your property. If you'd like to talk about it, we are here.

Let's all pray for a peaceful hurricane season, and that we never need to put our emergency plans into action.

Wishing you all peace of mind,

Jack