After a long, dreary winter, the weather that comes with the spring and summer seasons can be a very welcome change of pace. Unfortunately, while spring and summer can be full of warm, sunny, beautiful days, they can also bring about some severe weather. These months can be full of strong thunderstorms that cause high winds and flooding. And while tornadoes can happen at any time of the year, they tend to happen more frequently during the spring and summer in many parts of the country.
Severe weather often strikes quickly, without giving homeowners much time to get ready. This is why it’s so important to make sure your home is prepared for storms ahead of time. Here are a few ways to make sure your home is prepared!
Check Your Trees
Trees can be a beautiful addition to any yard, but if you’re not careful, tree branches can easily cause lots of damage during a storm. If you have a tree that has some branches that are very close to your home or the roof. trim those branches back a bit. Keep an eye out for branches that appear to be unhealthy or are coming loose from the tree and remove them as needed. If a tree in your yard has a large branch that is starting to come loose, a storm could easily remove that branch all together and cause thousands of dollars of damage to your home, your car, or your neighbor’s property.
Watch for Basement Flooding
Few problems strike fear into the hearts of homeowners quite the way flooding does. Even if you’ve never had a problem with flooding in your basement, keep in mind that 20% of flood insurance claims are made by people who live in low flood risk areas. A small amount of water getting into your home can easily cause huge amounts of damage and most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage. If you have cracks in your basement wall that water could get in through or have seen very small amounts of water coming into your basement when it rains, you may want to contact a basement waterproofer to see what they recommend for your home. This is one situation where an ounce of prevention can save you a lot of money and headaches later on.
Inspect Your Roof and Siding
Once the weather starts warming up, it’s a good idea to inspect your home’s roof and siding to make sure there aren’t any shingles or sections of siding that have come loose. Strong winds can easily grab loose shingles or pieces of siding and send them flying, making your home more vulnerable to damage from the storm. Of course, you’ll also want to keep an eye out for signs that your roof might have a leak.
Protect Windows and Doors
Regardless if you have vinyl replacement windows or wood windows, the panes of your windows can potentially be damaged by storms. One way to protect your windows from severe weather is by installing storm shutters. If a storm is headed your way, all you’ll have to do is close your shutters to have an added layer of protection. If you live in an area that tends to get a lot of tornadoes or storms that cause high winds, you may also want to consider having impact-resistant exterior or garage doors installed.
Secure Outdoor Items
Many people have things like lawn furniture, kids’ toys, gardening tools, and grills in their yard. While these things can be useful or fun on a nice day, they can easily be picked up by strong winds and cause expensive damage to your property during a storm. Since storms can happen so suddenly, it’s best to keep as many things in your yard secured as possible. Make sure any gardening tools are put back in the shed or garage as soon as you’re done using them. If you have kids who like to play outside, encourage them to put outdoor toys like balls and bikes away when they’re done playing with them. If you see a storm looming, try to quickly move things like lightweight lawn furniture and grills (larger, heavier grills are usually okay to leave alone) to a place where they won’t be damaged.
By taking these easy steps, your home will be prepared to handle the storms that often come up during this time of year. Have a safe summer!
