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and important documents inside it. Remember to update this list regularly.

If you are lucky enough to have advance warning of an impeding natural disaster such as a tornado, close storm shutters and board up your windows. If you have the time, employ professional emergency board up services. While taping windowpanes may keep them from rattling, it will not prevent glass from shattering if impacted by strong winds or fallen trees etc.

All heavy objects that can be picked up by strong winds should be moved or tied down.

If you are at home during violent weather, stay inside the house. Do not approach glass windows, doors or skylights and don't rush outside the minute the weather looks calmer. Strong wings often resume after quieting down.

Immediately mop away any flammable liquids that may spill, and leave the house at once if you detect the odor of gas. Never light candles in the dark; use flashlights instead.

Much more is involved in emergency board up than just nailing plywood planks to broken windows and doorframes. The kind of emergency board up that is needed depends on the extent of the damage to building exteriors and the underlying cause of this damage. Professional board up service providers will be able to properly assess the damage and to provide appropriate emergency board up services to effectively seal off all unwanted openings.

For example, if the problem is an upper-level smashed windowpane that will be replaced in a couple of days, you can go ahead and board up the opening yourself. In more serious emergencies, however, it is often best to hire qualified contractors to do the job. Below are a few tips for hiring qualified contractors successfully:

It is wise to look for contractors providing emergency board up services before emergencies actually occur, especially if you live in a hurricane zone.

Although board up is usually urgent, try to interview more than one contractor and obtain free written estimates from each. The estimates should clearly define all emergency board up services to be undertaken. Make sure that the contractors you have decided to interview are licensed and / or bonded. If they plan to use subcontractors, confirm that they are licensed too. This is particular important if the emergency board up services you need will cost over $500. Many states prohibit unlicensed contractors to do any work valued at over this amount. The advantage of hiring a licensed contractor is that he or she is knowledgeable about building codes and is liable

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