Summer brings warm and long days you can enjoy in the sun. Sitting outside in the garden, watching nature and sunbathing, it doesn’t even seem likely that the warm season also can threaten to pull our tiny home up with its roots; hurricanes, tornadoes, and hailstorms are known to pay us a visit during our summer holiday. Make sure your home is weatherproof and ready to house you if it hits again by using this handy list - most of it is quite simple to do on your own and will give you a peace of mind for the coming months.
The Windows
The windows of your home are often a weak point; frail and old glazing is a scary companion when you hear the winds pull outside, and they should be one of the first things you check. If they’re especially old and you have a bit of extra to spend, it might be time for an upgrade; go for strong double glazing, and you’ve already increased the quality of your home quite a bit. If you don’t have that much to spend, don’t worry - have a look at these hurricane shutters instead. They will make sure you stay dry and safe during a storm, as well as increasing the value of your home - that’s what they promise, any way.
The Roof
Your home puts a roof over your head, literally, but it’s no help if the roof has a leak when the heavy rain starts to pour. Have an inspection done well in advance, to repair any leaks and fix any loose tiles. A damaged roof can cause so much more trouble than water inside your attic. You’ll feel a lot better if you can face the end of summer without paying for a water damage repair or patching up your roof after a storm. Have a look at this article for a DIY guide to how you can fix a leaky roof yourself if you’re especially handy.
Think about other things that can go flying off in a storm; loose things in your yard or on your patio can quickly become a hazard when the wind lifts it up. Storm-proofing your house means taking everything into consideration, also the area surrounding your home.
Emergency Kit
Just like you should keep an emergency kit in your car, you should also keep one at home in case of a hurricane. Stocking up on non-perishable supplies, so you know you won’t go hungry during extreme conditions is obvious, but you should also remember to include a flashlight, medications, blankets, radio, clothing, and enough water to last you through the storm.
You should consider making copies of your most important documents as well, and keep them with the emergency kit or somewhere they’ll be safe from the hurricane - if the weather partly destroys your house, you need to be able to prove that it is yours. Don’t let the weather take everything.
When you pack a kit, keep in mind that you never know exactly how the weather is going to affect you - maybe it will last for a lot longer than predicted, so it’s important to prepare yourself for the worst as well as your home.
Basic Homeowner Insurance?
Most of the basic homeowner insurance doesn’t cover flooding or items damaged by water, so you should make sure you have one that covers this. Contact your insurance provider or renters to get a flood insurance and protect your possessions from the storm, too - even if you don’t live near the coast, it’s important to remember that anywhere it rains it might flood. Water damage is an expensive problem, and probably the last thing you want to deal with when the extreme weather has passed. Check out this article to find the best flood insurance for your home.
It seems like something out of the movies, but tenants and homeowners have experienced the same horrors when extreme weather hits; windows shattered all over the floor from heavy winds, basements completely flooded after heavy rain, and loose tiles leaping of people’s roofs. Not only is this an expensive and frightening experience, but it can be dangerous for both the people inside your home and the ones outside.
Make it a safe and happy summer with these precautions, and you can happily watch the storm rage outside, knowing your roof will stay where it is.
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