Home Renovation Tips
5 Failsafe Ways to Protect Your Home from Impending Storms
Storms are one of the vagaries of nature and they can wreak havoc on buildings. Though one cannot do anything about an impending storm; however, proactive measures can always be taken to safeguard your home against the pounding effects. “A stitch in time saves nine”, and going along these proverbial lines can help in minimizing the effects of the storm on any property. Continuing the discussion, the blog post describes five effective ways to protect your home before a storm hits. Take a look.
1. Trimming Loose Extended Branches
Loose extended branches are the first to fall due to fierce winds, and may possibly damage the sidings and exterior of a home. Therefore, to avoid a storm from snapping the home; it is advisable to chop off the extending branches before the storm progresses any further. In fact, loose branches should be trimmed off in a timely fashion through a reliable storm damage repair service to avoid structural damage to the home and minimize the impact of the storm.
2. Installing Storm Shutters and Hurricane Straps
Regardless of the preventive measures, a storm can smash glass doors and windows. Therefore, storm shutters should be installed on the sliding doors as well as the windows. Shutters made of aluminium, wood, steel and plywood offer optimum storm protection and therefore, should be considered as a part of pre-storm protection strategy. Additionally, hurricane straps made of galvanized metal can add an extra layer of protection to the roof.
3. Cleaning the Outdoors
Items left outside the home can be picked up or swept away by the storm, thereby denting the external elements such as doors, windows and sidings. Therefore, such items should be pro-actively removed by seeking assistance of reliable damage repair services to avoid any consequential damage to the property.
4. Performing a Prior Roof Inspection
Though a new roof should be able to sustain harsh weather, an old roof is a red flag before the storm. Roofs with premature shingle aging and those with improper nailing and sheathing can easily tear off during a storm, providing an entry zone for water, ice and debris. Moreover, existing roof leaks can aggravate the damage caused by the storm therefore, get your roof inspected before the storm to avoid an undesired roof failure.
5. Planning for a Watertight Home
Storms followed by a heavy rainfall can flood your home; therefore, it is essential to take advance measures. One option is to ensure a watertight foundation with concrete or maintaining an efficient drainage system to allow the water to exit without causing much damage. If only the foundation is impervious to water, a significant amount of flood damage can be prevented.
The Way Forward
Apart from these five tips, you can also invest in impact-rated windows, if living in hurricane prone areas. Prior preparation can help you protect your home from an imminent storm, however; you need not do the job single handedly. Whether you are planning for a watertight home or a roof inspection, there are dedicated damage repair services to make the job convenient for you.