Photo from unsplashOriginally Posted On: How To Weather-Proof Your Home (lifeinahouse.net)
Whether you are planning to put your home up for sale or simply want to reduce the chances of you needing to splash out on expensive home repairs further down the line – its important that you know how to weather-proof your home, especially if you live in an area where adverse weather conditions are a common occurrence. This could include storms, hurricanes, or floods.
With that in mind, here are some top tips that you can use to weatherproof your home – and maintain the safety of your family while doing so.
INSPECT YOUR PROPERTY FOR SIGNS OF DAMAGE. The first step towards ensuring your home is ready for whatever mother nature may throw its way is by ensuring that there is not already any damage present. For example, you should inspect your roof to see if there are any missing tiles, or cracks in the surface – both of which could seem like minor issues but could open the door to costly repairs if left to worsen. For example, a hole in your roof could lead to flooding. You should also keep an eye on your gutters, walls, and the foundation of your home for similar issues.
CLEAN OUT YOUR GUTTERS. While they may not immediately seem that way, gutters play an important role in keeping your home at its best. Therefore, you should ensure that you clean your gutters regularly – especially if you have recently experienced bad weather. For example, while a few leaves might seem a pretty minor inconvenience – if you allow water to get trapped or clogged in your drains, which could lead to flooding. Trapped water could freeze, causing your pipes and gutters to crack.
CONSULT WITH THE EXPERTS. While you may be keen to weather-proof your home yourself (by trying your hand out at DIY), you should also be aware of the fact that there are some home repairs that should never be done without professional advice from licensed professionals, such as plumbing, gas, electrical or roofing repairs. While this may seem like an additional cost, it’s the easiest way to keep your home in good working order and your family safe.
INVEST IN HURRICANE PROTECTION. Installing hurricane protection, such as armor screens, maintains the safety of your home during storms and hurricanes. However, many homeowners are reluctant to install this precaution as they believe they will negatively impact the way in which their home looks – but this doesn’t have to be the case. In fact, modern armor screens are sleek, stylish, and effective. They are also long-lasting, meaning that you do not have to replace them every few years.
KEEP YOUR HOME WARM. Bad weather can also impact the interior of your property – so you need to ensure that you find a way to make your home as energy efficient as possible to stop heat from escaping. Thankfully, this can be achieved in numerous different ways – such as by laying out draught exclusions under gaps in your doors or adding extra insulation in both your attic and basement. Furthermore, you could also switch to an eco-friendly energy provider.
