We’re approaching July and for many that means one thing. Summer is in full swing. However, if you live in some regions of the country it also means that hurricane season has arrived. That’s right; it’s the particular time of the year when the skies open up and throw everything they have down upon our heads. Heavy rain, lightning, hail, warm showers and so much more. Of course, it’s not as bad as others in the winter months when snow blocks roads and doorways. Yes, for homeowners, inclement weather can be an absolute nightmare. It can damage the exterior of your home, and it can even cause issues with the interior. That’s why you need to think about ways to protect your home and your family from the worst of the weather. On that front, I’ve got some fantastic ideas that I think are going to be very appealing to a lot of people. Let’s take each bad weather element in turn and then look at some more general fixes for your home.
Wet & Wild
One of the worst things about the hurricane season is the massive amounts of rain. Goodluck if you’re planning on going on holiday in an area where hurricanes are an issue. Torrential rains will make leaving your house an unpleasant idea. However, while you can protect yourself by staying inside, your home will be open to the elements. Torrential rains can be a nightmare. Especially if your home is an area of land with high soil density. Or, if you own property on a floodplain. Then flooding could damage the foundations of your home and make the basement walls damp. It’s also a nasty eyesore that will be annoying to see when you open your curtains in the morning. No one likes it when their garden looks like a soggy marsh rather than a lush, green field.
To avoid this, you can consider getting a permeable layer installed underneath your property. This will allow water built up on your land to drain away as it should. The water won’t build up, and you’ll be able to avoid the issues that come with property flooding. A solution such as this can be quite expensive, and that’s why many people tend to avoid it when possible. Instead, they try other ways to deal with flooding due to torrential rains.
One possibility is to have a water pump in your basement. If you have a problem with flooding for most people, it’s only going to affect the basement. Other areas of your home will be fine. A water pump will keep the levels of water in your basement low. Although, you may still find that you have issues with damp, particularly on outer walls.
Of course, flooding isn’t the only problem that torrential rains can cause. If there’s an extended period of rain, you might find your gutters start to overflow. Usually, this is because they are clogged up. You might want to get a ladder and have a look after the rain stops. To prevent this problem occurring again, you can use a gutter shutter. A gutter shutter will stop materials falls into your gutters but will allow the water to drain freely. Drains can also be a problem at this time of the year, and a drain on your property could fill up fast. However, you’ll need to get an expert in to deal with this issue. You won’t be able to unclog an outside drain yourself.
Another issue you need to consider is outer materials in the home. In particular, you will need to protect your home if it’s made out of a material such as timber. This is highly sensitive to rainfall and needs an extra coating of protection.
Windy Weather
The the other main part of hurricane season is, of course, the high winds. It’s not a bad idea to take the shutters and anything else that might not be completely fixed, off your home. In the evening, make sure that dustbins are kept inside the garage or shed. Otherwise, you’ll probably wake up with rubbish all over your garden. It will take forever to clean up and is a complete nuisance.
Remember, during times of high wind, home insulation is necessary. If you have poor home insulation, you will probably find that your home is colder due to strong winds. You should think about making changes to your home that solves this issue. One possibility you may want to think about is improving home insulation. You can get double or triple glazing windows for your home, and this has two advantages. Firstly, it will almost definitely keep more heat in your home and the cold air out. Second, it will protect your home from high, cold winds.
Another possibility you may want to consider is vinyl sliding doors. Vinyl sliding doors can help shield your home from the elements by providing massive, protection. They are typically soundproof too, so they don’t just solve the issue of inclement weather. They will protect your home if you are living in an area with high levels of noise pollution. You can find details from Ferguson Roofing.
Thunder And Lightning
It’s always frightening when there is lightning outside your window or thunder above your roof. You start to panic and think that perhaps, it’s going to hit your house. Of course, the chances of lightning hitting your house is quite small. Lightning always takes the fastest route to the ground. However, if you are worried, you can get lightning conductors for your home. This will give it a safe way to the ground, without hitting your home.
It’s far more likely that lightning will hit a tree near your house. The tree will then fall and could damage your property or your car. That’s why it’s best to keep trees near your home cut back. You’d be surprised the damage a medium size tree could do to your home. Particularly, if it hits one of the windows.
Remember, if your home is caught in a particularly nasty storm, you should get it checked out. You need to make sure that there isn’t any severe damage. In some cases, damage occurs without us realizing, especially if it hit the roof. That’s why a roof inspection is never a bad idea after a storm.
Let It Snow
If it starts to snow, the first emotion we feel is joy, but that soon turns to dread. We know the damage snow can do to our home. I have touched on quite a few of the fixes for problems caused by snow. For instance, permeable layering on the ground will allow the snow to melt and drain away quickly. The part of your home that is at the most risk during snowfall is your car. A lot of people leave their cars out during the snowy season. This is a bad idea because frost can damage the bodywork and the engine of the vehicle. If you don’t have enough room in your garage, that’s okay. Instead, you can get a carport. These are easy to install on your home and don’t stand out. You can park your car under it for protection from the elements.
Another issue, which you need to consider during periods of cold weather is pipe freezing. In particular, you should drain any pipes that are outside. This might include a sprinkler system or a swimming pool. If you do this, you can avoid any issues on the exterior of your home with the pipes. You do need to check other pipes that might be exposed to cold conditions. Examples could include pipes in the kitchen or crawl space. These pipes should be properly insulated to prevent freezing.
Home And Family
Of course, it’s not just your home that you need to think about protecting from inclement weather. You do need to take your family's safety into consideration as well. If you live in an area where storms are common, it’s a good idea to have a storm bunker. This will keep your family safe during the worst of the weather. A Storm shelter can be built and set up on your property for a reasonable price. Typically, you won’t have to use it. But, it can provide that extra layer of security and reassurance in case you do encounter “the big one.”
Aside from this, you may want to consider having an emergency power system for your home. Typically one of the main effects of severe weather isn’t damage to your home but a loss of power. This can be problematic, particularly if you have children who regularly need entertaining. A power system can also make your home safer as it can stop family members falling downstairs in the dark. It’s an expensive option of course, but one that you might want to think about. If you don’t want to invest in an emergency power supply, I suggest you make sure everything you need is charged up each morning.
Inclement weather can be a nuisance for homeowners but with these tips, it should never bother you again.
No comments:
Post a Comment