Storms of any kind can cause cosmetic short term damage, as well as long term degenerative damage. More than just a little mud on the siding, or dirty windows can occur. A storm can also cause damage to the infrastructure of your home, with rot or generate fungus. Whether it’s a heavy rains, snow, high winds, or forest fires, to the more severe tornados and hurricanes, some kind of cleanup will be necessary once the storm subsides.
Though most people have some idea on how to prepare for severe weather, just as many do not give a second thought on what to do once the storm has finished. Storms will happen. To think that if you move into the mountains of Colorado, no snow will ever fall on your cabin makes about as much sense as putting screen doors on a submarine. If you move to any area where a regular weather pattern has been established, then pay attention to the weather pattern and prepare! Get ready, before the storm, and be ready for the cleanup afterward. With the advent of the internet, you can find just the right cleaning supplies needed and order direct with no middleman.
Before The Storm
Look around your property. Is there anything you see that might be a potential repair, after a storm? Are tree branches growing too close to your home or power lines? If they were to break off could they cause damage? Is there siding that is coming lose or shingles on the house that need tightening or replacing? Can water seep in anywhere around doors or windows during rain or when snow melts? Are there places where ice can cause further damage, if water was to collect and then freeze? Are pipes exposed, where in cold weather they might freeze and burst? Check the drains in your basement, to be sure they are in proper working order in case the basement floods. If basement flooding occurs regularly, have a pump ready, to drain the water quickly.
After The Storm
When severe weather hits, such as rain or snow, water can be a tremendous breeding ground for bacteria, as well as rot. Dampness will eventually create rot, in the wood of your home. The important thing is to dry out your home, as quickly as possible. Use pumps to drain standing water, and mop up any excess. Have good ventilation, fans and dehumidifiers to take any excess moisture out of the air. If enough water has caused sewage to spread, have good disinfectants ready.
Be sure to wear gloves and protective clothing not only for the use with the disinfectant, but to insure you are not causing yourself any ill effects, from coming in contact with any germs or bacteria.
If it’s your plan to go horseback riding Costa Rica, you might want to go between June and November. That’s the drier season, in Costa Rica. Of course a place that is home to a tropical rain forest and all of its natural inhabitants and plant growth isn’t going to be all that dry any time of year… Unless, that demon global warming has something to say about it.
You’re Going to Want the Best Weather Possible
Aside from being spoiled rotten, at a spa or hotel which overlooks the volcanoes, most of the activities that are worth taking part in on your Costa Rican adventure are outdoor activities, When it comes to water sports, they are as abundant as the plant life. You can go kayaking, canoeing, white water rafting, water skiing and jet skiing, yachting or sailing, deep-sea fishing, snorkeling or scuba diving, and don’t forget good old-fashioned swimming and beach volleyball. If you’re looking for something a little more adventurous than scuba diving and deep-sea fishing however, you have come to the right place for that, as well.
Nothing Says Adventure like a Little Proposed Danger
I use the word ‘proposed’ because incidents during these next couple of activities are very nearly nonexistent. Or so I’m told. If looking at a smoking volcano up close and personal excites you, then you should be utterly giddy over walking in and amongst them. Again, I’m informed that they never erupt. Practically never. So infrequently in fact that it’s not even worth mentioning. Very nearly the same can be said for the zip line that sends you hurtling through the air, over the top of waterfalls and the magnificent tropical rain forest. You’re given all the safety equipment that you would possibly need… Except for maybe a parachute. But, you won’t need a parachute, because accidents almost never happen here. No really.
There is of course a weight limit for the zip line, so you might want to work on that girlish or boyish figure of yours, before you leave on vacation.
Derby betting odds can be tracked on the official Derby website as the race approaches, just as the weather can be tracked on various websites. The difference is that the odds for the race are likely to stay the same once things have been set while the weather can change in a blink of an eye. Storms can be tracked as they make their way across the land ,but there is always the possibility that the right conditions will create a storm out of nowhere. Not to mention, there is the cliché that the weatherman is always wrong.
No Matter How Much You Plan…
Even the best of planners can fall victim to the whims of Mother Nature. You can track the path to the Derby using almost every single Kentucky Derby betting site, where you will be able to track the odds for each of the contenders. You can plan out bets based on the best odds and choose the horses you want to wager on far in advance of the race. You can get to know the Kentucky Derby horses online and keep track of how their jockeys are doing. You can even plan out your stay long before it arrives. However, there is no way to predict the weather months in advance and no matter how much you have planned for your trip, there is always the possibility that things will change in a matter of moments if a storm rolls through.
It Happens
If a storm does happen to hit on the day of the race, or even a day before, leaving the track “sloppy”, the odds that you have been so diligently tracking and the wagers you felt were sure bets can be changed greatly. Considering that 63 of the 137 Derby’s have been afflicted by rain at some point, and the Derby has never been cancelled due to weather, it is likely that the trainers have been practicing their runs in wet conditions, just in case. However, it only takes one slip in the mud to change the race.
Wet conditions are nothing new to the Derby and the likelihood that you will run into a bit of rain at the event is fairly high. This doesn’t mean that the event won’t be interesting! Quite the contrary, it may make things even more interesting and you could have more fun than you originally would have!
“I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore, Toto.” The question wasn’t whether or not Dorothy and her dog were still in Kansas. The question should have been did Auntie Em and her farmer hubby have insurance against that ‘twistah‘.
Sorry, You’re Not Insured, It Was an Act of God
Where do these insurance companies get off telling you that? What is the probability, seriously, that they have actually had a one-on-one, person-to-person chat with God, the father Almighty? Slim to none doesn’t even begin to cover it. I’m sure that if God himself wanted to talk to anyone in particular, an insurance salesman might be just a little bit further down the list then say, oh I don’t know, the Pope. I mean seriously, do they have a hotline: “Yeah, hey God, there was a big storm in Oklahoma. Lots of damage, knocked out a whole bunch of farms and houses. Was that you?” And what if it was an act of God? How does that make it suddenly not qualify for coverage? Is God going to pay for the damages? There are some parts of this world that need to be protected against these types of occurrences. Florida for instance… Is a hurricane an act of God? Whether it is or not, many Floridians choose to go with hurricane insurance. That way they’re covered just in case. Homeowners in various parts of the Midwest get to worry about the formerly mentioned twisters – tornadoes – and other weather related issues such as massive amounts of snowfall, lightning strikes, frozen pipes leading to flood damage, etc. How many of these are the result of an act of God? How many of these are a result of bad planning, negligence, or other determining factors? And who, in their infinite wisdom, makes that decision?
Pay Attention To Where You Live
Know head of time what can be expected in the way of weather, acts of God, or what have you if you are moving to an unfamiliar area. Check with insurance agents so that you know what special kind of policy you may need in order to be covered for various causes of damage to your vehicle, home, land and other property. Earthquakes, tornadoes, tsunamis, hurricanes, snowstorms, freezing conditions, floods, lightning – all of these can play havoc on your property and our families. Even if you survive the incident, you may end up being hospitalized or some other member of your family may need extended hospitalization and recovery time, including rehabilitation.
Are you going to be covered if that happens?
You have seen it on the news. You have seen it in movies and books. What will you do, when the zombie apocalypse finally happens? When there is no more food, water, ammunition? Oh, dealing with a flood, hurricane, tornado or earthquake is a piece of cake. What will you do when someone is using your face as Filet mignon? Are you prepared? No one wants to think a disaster is ever going to happen. Especially, when everything seems to be going so well. But a disaster can take many forms, not just the natural disasters or from the zombie hordes.
Disaster can be as simple as losing your job suddenly. Whether it’s from the company laying everyone off to move the company to another country, to the boss just plain doesn’t like you and has decided to replace you. What will you do, if suddenly you do not have income? Do you have an emergency savings to draw from, if you are suddenly out of work, or if the kids get sick, or you need another assault vehicle to clean out the zombie nest in the next town? If you need your emergency supplies the undead will not wait, while you clean up your credit. It’s time to start planning ,for whatever the emergency might be even if it means taking out small personal loans for bad credit.
Emergency Funds
The time to plan for an emergency is not when the emergency is on top of you, ripping out your intestines. Figure out how much is comfortable for you to set aside each month or each paycheck, in the event something arises that you need to withdraw funds. If you are injured from a bite or scratch will your insurance be sufficient to cover the costs, while you are out of work. If your car breaks down, how will you pay for it. If your child needs medical attention is everything provided for in your insurance policy? You never know what may happen. And, no matter how much thought you put into it, you will never know what’s lurking, just around the corner. But, with some type of emergency fund, at least you have money readily available, when you may need it, you just might make it through the disaster.
Letting Your Emergency Fund Grow
The big thing to remember is your emergency fun is just that. ONLY FOR EMERGENCIES!! Not to be used, because you want those fabulous shoes, or because there’s a new chrome piece you want to put on your motorcycle. Decide where you will keep this fund. If it’s a bank remember that, if there is a natural disaster, you may not have access to it. Try to save regularly, not just when you feel like it. You can always adjust your amount of savings up or down, as your paycheck adjusts. If by some chance you save an extra ordinary amount, you can always draw some from your emergency fund, to pay overdue bills and carry you through, until the government (yeah, right) comes to help you.