Protecting Your Home Against Harsh Summer Storms

Just because Winter is behind us doesn’t mean that we don’t have to worry about bad weather any more. We may get a little break, but the Summertime can also bring along with it some pretty harsh storms. Before they arrive, it’s a good idea to make sure your home is ready, and that you didn’t receive any damage from the previous Winter storms. To help you out, here are a few things you can do to protect your home against harsh storms this Summer.

Roof Repairs and Maintenance

The first area you should check is your roof. The roof of your home often takes the brunt of the storm, and if it’s not in good shape, water could find its way inside. A good thing to do is visually inspect your roof and look for any signs of damage. Missing or broken shingles are a good place to start, but you should also look for water spots both on the outside and inside of the home.

While you’re up there, don’t forget to clean your gutters. According to this company which provides roof repair in Austin, “After the fall and winter seasons, there is usually a lot of debris: leaves, twigs, and more that get trapped in your gutters. Cleaning out all of this sludge from your gutter is necessary for proper functioning. If not cleaned, the resulting gutter blockage may cause roof damage like leakages, ceiling damage, and staining.”

Home Flooding

The roof isn’t the only place in your home where water can get in. Before heavy Summer rainfalls come along, it’s a good idea to make sure your home is protected against flooding. This means ensuring there are no cracks in your foundation, all basement windows are sealed, and that your sump pump is working properly if you have one. Water can get through even the tiniest crack or crevice, so really give your home a thorough examination.

Tree Limb Removal

Next, you should take a look at the trees around your home, if there are any. Heavy winds and snow put a lot of strain on trees, and you may have some damaged limbs. If you don’t take these down on your own, a strong Summer wind could come by and do it for you. This may sound easier until you realize that the branch could come crashing down onto your home, electrical wires, car, or even yourself. Look for any tree limbs that look like they’re dangling or ones that have already broken but are caught in other branches. Then call in some landscaping experts to have them remove them safely.
  

Install Storm Windows

The windows in your home are some of the most vulnerable spots when it comes to a storm. With heavy winds comes flying debris, and before you know it a window in your home could shatter, allowing in rain at the worst possible time. To protect against this, it’s important that you have stronger windows in place before the storm arrives. To help with this, contact a professional firm like the Storm Pro Window and Door company to evaluate your house and have the best windows possible fitted. If you only have screens on your windows, you’ll want to have your storm windows ready to go. Or, if you have glass windows, make sure they are strong enough to handle the elements in your area.

A Place to Store Outdoor Furniture and Decorations

For those of you who have things on the outside of your home, it’s important that you take safety precautions with them before a storm comes. For instance, if you have a patio set or lawn decorations, these could quickly get damaged during a storm, or they could get taken up in the wind and damage something else. Make sure all pieces are either securely fastened to something solid, or have a place like an outdoor shed where you can store things when a storm is coming.

Stock Up on Emergency Supplies

Finally, it’s always a good idea to have emergency supplies in your home, especially before storm season comes. Make sure you have things like bottled water, flashlights, batteries, some canned food, and some first aid supplies. If you’re worried about losing power, consider getting yourself a backup generator that you can run if the power goes out. Hopefully you’ll never need any of these things, but you’ll be glad you have them if the time ever comes.

Start Preparing for Storms Now

You never know when a bad storm is going to hit. While they may be more likely in the Summer, that doesn’t mean your home can’t flood in the Spring. So, start thinking about how you can prepare your home now, then work to get everything ready as soon as possible. When that big storm hits, you’ll be able to rest easy inside knowing you took care of everything.