What to Do to Protect Your Home Before Storms Occur

9/21/2020 (Permalink)

Protect your home and assests from potential storm damage

1. Update Insurance Policies

One of the easiest things a homeowner can do to prepare for seasonal storms is to look over current insurance policies to assure coverage of losses from storms or natural disasters. Earthquakes, floods, and hurricanes aren’t normally covered under homeowner policies but can be covered in other specific policies. Knowing your policies can help you make preparations to stay eligible for insurance claims.

2. Protect Windows

To avoid costly hail damage, keep the elements from penetrating windows, exterior cracks, entryways, and garage doors. Make sure windows and doors are sealed securely and, if needed, attach storm shutters to windows.

3. Install Steel Doors

For storm protection, installing steel doors can make a difference. Strong, tornadic winds can tear through the weak doors of a home, leaving little protection for your home interior from the storm’s effects. Steel doors with adequate support can stop that from happening.

4. Care for Roofing

Inspecting and maintaining your roof year-round is important for preventing storm damage. Remove ice and snow during the winter, and clear away fallen leaves and tree branches during autumn to keep your roof free from damaging debris. Have a professional roofing contractor check your roof before the storm season.

5. Inspect Foundation

Protecting your home’s foundation can make you better prepared to avoid storm damage. Notice cracks in ceilings or walls, gaps or separations, like windows no longer fitting their frame. Go through your basement or crawl space and see if there are any zigzag-patterned cracks along mortar lines. If you see any of these, contact a professional. A solid home foundation is of utmost importance during storms.

6. Trim Landscaping

A simple way to protect your home’s roof, windows, and doors from the need for hail damage repair is to attend to any loose or dead tree limbs or shrubbery. A strong wind combined with a heavy tree limb could cause damage to the home and even be life-threatening. Additionally, bushes that are not firmly planted can create destructive debris during a heavy storm.

7. Clear Gutters

Nobody likes cleaning gutters. It’s a pain to drag the ladder out, put on a pair of gloves, and start climbing. But the problem is that the gunk and grime filling up your gutters block hail and stormwater from running off your roof. When anything settles on your roof too long, it causes irreversible damage that could have easily been avoided with a clean gutter system.

8. Store Yard Furniture

Anything loose in your yard can be lifted into the air during a storm. Pick up any tree limbs lying on the ground. Secure lawn furniture and yard ornaments or store them when not in use. Even flowerpots can blow away if light enough. High-speed winds during a severe storm can cause damage to windows and other exterior features, like siding and garage doors, if everything isn’t solidly secured to the ground.

9. Plan for an Emergency

During a seasonal storm, it is important to plan for all possibilities. If your electricity fails, flashlights, extra batteries, a radio, or a backup generator can all be important things to have, especially during emergencies caused by storm damage. Stocking up with anything you might need when battening down the hatches, like blankets, non-perishable food items, and bottled water, can even prove lifesaving during the worst storms.