Tornado Insurance and Ways to Reduce Tornado Damage

Tornadoes are disasters that occur every year - are you ready if one comes to your neighborhood?

It doesn't take a direct hit on your property to cause damage. A little preparation ahead of time can save you thousands of dollars of repairs and many hours of laborious cleanup.

Be sure you know if your insurance covers tornado damage and how much it will pay.

Eight hundred tornadoes are reported across the United States in an average year. The powerful winds with the driving rain and flying debris often damage homes that are near the center of the tornado. You should have an insurance policy that covers any necessary repairs or even the total cost of rebuilding after a tornado.

If the damage is so severe that you can't live in your home, an adequate insurance, such as Safeco, will also provide living expenses as provided in your policy until you can move back in. You should check your policy to be sure of the coverage that you have.

Review it once each year to be sure that the coverage is still sufficient to completely rebuild at the current costs of construction. You should get a precise estimate from an independent building contractor, and talk with your agent about any unique features of your building and property that require extra coverage.

There are also actions you can take to reduce the damage inflicted by a tornado.

It's not possible to make your home tornado-proof, but you can increase the chance of surviving the extreme winds. For complex jobs, you will need to get professional builders.

Begin at the top of the house, the roof. First fix any damaged areas that need repair. If you are replacing the roof, use materials that are able to withstand high winds. If you are replacing your windows, choose impact-resistant window systems that have a better chance of remaining unbroken during the tornado's high winds. Be sure door frames are anchored solidly to the wall framing. Ensure that there are at least three hinges holding each door and that there is a deadbolt security lock with at least a one-inch bolt to secure the doors against the high winds.

And when you hear that a tornado is coming in your direction, there are emergency steps you can take for the security of yourself and your family.

If you are inside a building, go to an underground shelter if one is available, or at least to an interior room or hallway on the bottom floor. Keep away from windows and corners to avoid flying glass and sharp objects. If you are in a vehicle, get off the road immediately, get out and seek safe shelter; lie flat in a ditch if nothing else is available. Avoid overpasses and bridges as it is not safe to seek shelter beneath them. Most injuries and fatalities are caused by flying debris, so protect your head and neck with your arms.

Home Improvement: Light Switches

A light switch is a device that controls the lighting in a room with the touch of a button.

You might think that there isn't much variety when it comes to different designs of light switches - You couldn't be more wrong, however. There are many different styles available on the market, from the plain white light switches that you probably see everyday, to fancy designer light switches that can really make a huge difference in the appearance of a room. You would be surprised how much a nice looking light switch can improve a room's image. While you can find many inexpensive, plain light switches at your local hardware store, if you want the more interesting looking ones you'll likely have to look for a specialty store or look for a store online that sells designer light switches. There are many options available - instead of the boring white plastic switches you would get at a hardware store, you can get designer light switches in stainless steel, chrome, brass, gold, silver, ivory, and pretty much any other material you can think of. The designs of the more expensive specialty switches tend to be much more extravagant and detailed as well. There are also switches that much more high-tech than your ordinary light switch, like "smart switches", and the Consumption Feedback Switch, which monitors your electricity usage and will actually shock you (ouch!) if it feels that you've gone over the limit. Apparently this is some attempt at a "green", environmentally friendly light switch. There are even some that don't even have switches (they are touch sensitive) or have remote controls to turn the lights on and off. And who could forget "The Clapper"? There really are a lot of options available in the world of light switches if you're willing to look for them.

One of the most confusing things about light switches is how to actually change a light switch. It's really not all that difficult, actually. All you need to do is turn off the power (this is important - you don't want to get electrocuted), remove the old light switch and connect the new one. It's really quite simple - just tighten some screws and you're ready to go. To make the process even simpler, you can buy a wireless light switch - No wires to mess with ever again!