RALEIGH, N.C. — The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season is upon us, and now is the time to get your essentials ready for severe weather.
North Carolina ranks fourth in the nation for the number of hurricane landfalls, Spectrum News 1 meteorologist Lee Ringer said.
Spectrum News 1 visited the business where store managers say it's important to test safety equipment now before the storm hits.
Store owners say many people are coming in to stock up on items to prepare for the hurricane season, and one of the most common items people buy is a sump pump, which senses rising water levels and automatically starts pumping water out of homes if they start flooding.
If you must use a sump pump, test it once a year and periodically remove the lid and check the inside with a flashlight to clean it, says Hussain Kapadia, manager at Northern Tool Co. If you don't have a sump pump, look for a water pump.
“One of the water pumps here can move about 7,000 gallons per hour, which means it can move water from one place to another very quickly,” Kapadia explained.
A generator is also an essential tool in the event of a power outage.
“Make sure the oil level is all the way up. Once that's done, make sure you have fresh gasoline. Put some fresh gasoline in here,” Kapadia explained to us.
Generators should never be used indoors, as their exhaust contains carbon monoxide, an odorless, poisonous gas.
“Make sure it's in a well-ventilated area to prevent carbon monoxide from entering your home, and never turn on the gas while the generator is running,” Kapadia says.
When using a generator, always follow the instructions that come with it.
Experts say that sump pumps should be replaced at least every seven to 10 years, and if you run them too frequently, they may only last five to seven years.