How Do You Keep Your Home Ready For Storm Season?
One of your home’s most important duties is to protect you and your family from the negative consequences of being exposed to the weather all the time. However, sometimes that job is easier said than done. This is especially true for those who live in areas that are prone to storms. As such, not only should you look after yourself, but you need to look after your home, as well. This is often best done by making sure that you’re putting some preventative measures in place to avoid damage before the storm hits. Let’s look at some examples of those below.
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Secure Your Outdoor Items
Take a look at all of the items lying outdoors and ask yourself what you can do to secure them, including any patio furniture, grill,s umbrellas, toys, planters, or other decor pieces. These can not only get lost to high winds, but they can also become dangerous projectiles, causing damage to your home and others’ property. Anchoring down heavier items can help them stay in place, but you can also stack or tie down chairs, and store smaller pieces in the shed, garage, or even the kitchen temporarily. Be sure to take a close look at fixtures like the mailbox and fencing panels that can become loose over time, as well.
Inspect The Roof
Your roof should be inspected twice, annually, in most cases. It should be checked before winter to make sure there are no air gaps or leaks that could become a problem for the home, and it should be checked before storm season, as loose, missing, or curled shingles can easily get ripped off during a storm, or can simply leave an opening for rain to infiltrate the home and cause water damage. Check your roof for signs it might need some repairs, such as not just the tiles but the flashing around the chimneys, vents, and skylights, which can become just as much of a risk over time. If there’s any debris on the roof, be sure to clear it off, as otherwise, it can clog gutters and become another problem.
Trim Your Trees
If you have any trees in the garden, they are going to need a little extra attention. Overgrown trees pose a major risk during strong winds, heavy rain, or lightning. Trimming dead, diseased, or weak branches helps prevent them from breaking and damaging your home, vehicles, or power lines. Even if the branches don’t snap off during the storm itself, they can be severely weakened, which could pose a risk of them falling at any point, even when you, your family, or your pets are underneath them. Regularly pruning your trees generally improves their health, as well, allowing for better airflow and preventing branches from becoming too strained. Pay extra attention to where limbs might hang close to your roof or windows, as this is where the most damage is typically done.
Ensure Your Trees Stay Stable
If there’s a particularly bad storm coming, then you might need to ensure that your trees are able to stand up against it. If they are mature or structurally weak, such as leaning too far in a particular direction or having an uneven weight distribution, then they may need a little extra support via cabling and bracing. You can read a helpful tree cabling guide to learn about how high-strength cables can be used between major limbs and trunks to ensure that they are held in place, preventing excessive movement during storms. These can help protect the trees and lower the likelihood of a massive breakage, which will not only cause permanent damage to the tree but can also be a risk to any housing materials around it, too.
Seal The Weak Points In Your Home
Even small gaps in the home can lead to major issues, as the storms bring not only wind but rain, and at high speeds. Any opening in your home can allow this rain in which can lead to long-standing problems with moisture, mold, and water damage that you might have to pay a lot of money to remediate. Take the time to inspect your windows, your doors, the joints of the home’s siding, as well as attic openings and any utility access points outside. If you spot any cracks or separations, use caulk or weatherstripping to either close or reinforce them.
Stay Powered On With A Generator
Storms can often bring about power outages, which can leave you and your family in the dark for hours, if not longer. One of the best ways to keep the home functional and comfortable, especially in cold weather, is with a portable generator. These can help you power the essentials such as your refrigerators, lights, chargers, and small appliances. However, those homes that are more prone to blackouts might want to invest in a whole-house generator, which can provide the energy you need for heating and cooling, as well. They are especially important for those who benefit from any emergency medical equipment in the home.
Have A General Storm-Ready Plan
It’s not just the home that should be prepared in the event of a storm, but the family, as well. To that end, make sure that you have access to power banks and, if you know a storm is approaching, ensure every essential electronic appliance, including phones and laptops, is fully charged. Take the time to gather emergency supplies, such as bottled water, nonperishable foods, flashlights, medication, and a first aid kit. You should also ensure that you have important documents, such as IDs, medical records, and insurance papers, sealed in waterproof containers. There may be a chance you need to evacuate a more dangerous storm, so keeping your vehicle full of fuel and having plans for communication and where to meet up can be important, too.
Just as important as preventing damage to the home is being thorough in checking for signs of damage once the storm has passed. It’s not always easy to notice the impact immediately, so don’t skip a close inspection.
