Everything You Need to Know about Nor‘easter Superstorms
Sep 16, 2019
South Jersey is a great place to live. It’s also the perfect place for nor’easters. In 2018, we had our first meteotsunami. We had record-breaking rainfall. We had only 4 nor’easters. Well, four in one month. Will 2020 be the year for another nor’easter superstorm?
What is a Nor’Easter?
The wintry polar jet stream pushes cold, Arctic air southward across Canada and the U.S., then east toward the Atlantic Ocean. Meanwhile, warm Gulf of Mexico air moves northward, and when they meet, it’s the perfect storm. Some of the dynamics of a nor’easter include:
- Beach erosion
- Heavy snow
- Heavy rainfall
- High winds
- Inland flooding
- Riptides/currents
- Storm surge
Protecting Your Home
Nor’easters can be dangerous and have the potential to cause serious damage to properties. Homeowners should:
- Check your sump pump
- Clear clogged rain gutters
- Clear nearby catch basins
- Cover windows if damaging winds are predicted. Taping windows is useless and can create larger, more dangerous glass shards.
- Elevate basement items that would be ruined by flooding
- If instructed, turn off gas and electricity at the main
- Move vehicles to higher ground
- Secure all outdoor furniture, trash cans, etc.
- Turn off propane tanks
- Unplug sensitive electronics
Finally, if told to evacuate the area, do it. Nothing you own is more valuable than your family.
Secure Your Roof to Minimize Storm Damage
The time to understand the types of damages your homeowner’s insurance will cover is now. Review your policies and if you have questions, contact your insurance professionals.
Roofing is one of the most-often damaged sites following a severe storm. If not repaired properly, the initial roof damage can lead to critical problems to the home’s structure itself. Older roofs are most at-risk and insurance companies often require regular inspections.
To minimize the potential for roof storm damage, keeping your roof well-maintained is diligent. “A broken shingle might seem minor,” says Insurance.com, “But it’s not protecting your home and can result in damage.”
Always keep nearby trees cut back and remove dead trees. If a severe storm is predicted, take photos of your roof. If it is damaged during the storm, you’ll have “before” and “after” photos.
Trust Your Local Roofing Company
Surf & Turf Roofing is your local roofing company. Our professionals genuinely want to protect your home and families. After all, we live here, too. Contact Surf & Turf Roofing today to learn more about South Jersey roof options.
