Here in Mississippi, we’ve had an increasing number of severe weather events this spring, and with hurricane season just around the corner, the question of how best to protect your home against harsh weather is never too far from people’s minds.
What should you be doing to be prepared when harsh weather arrives?
Seal Doors And Windows
First, you’ll want to ensure you seal all your doors and windows, which will help block drafts and reduce the risk of water leaks during driving rain. Sealing doors and windows can be time-consuming, but it is worth the investment of both time and money. If you don’t want to do it yourself, you can always pay professionals to do it for you.
One option to consider is to custom security storm doors. These provide additional sealing and reduce the risk of water entering when you don’t want it to.
Maintain Your Roof
Next, you’ll want to consider whether your roof protects you against harsh weather. Check if there are any loose or damaged parts of your roof, as these can become worse during storms.
Look out for things like:
- Loose or damaged flashing around the chimney pots
- Damaged or missing shingles/tiles
- Issues with vents or other structures around the roof, like the gutters.
If you live in a hail-prone area, you may also need to reinforce the roofing material. Hail damage is hard to defend against unless the roof itself is made of strong materials.
Improve Drainage
You’ll also want to improve drainage as much as possible to buffer your property against storms. Enabling water to flow away from a property is a great way to prevent it from getting clogged with water damage.
Water ingress is a high risk if your property is on a slope. If that’s the case, you’ll need to build proper drainage channels around it to ensure that water flows away and doesn’t cause damage.
You should also check that you have the proper drainage outside your front door, which can be a weak point. We have a french drainage system, and there have been times we have had to go around the property and make sure the drains are clear so water can flow properly…away from the house and not into it.
Upgrade Your Insulation
Insulating against extreme temperatures is also another thing you’ll want to do to protect your home against harsh weather. If the mercury plummets or there’s a heatwave, you want to know that you’re protected.
Upgrading your insulation is easier than you might think. These days, you can often inject foam into walls and get 90% of the effectiveness of bespoke solutions. These upgrades let you keep cool air inside your home when it’s warm and heated when the weather gets cold.
Secure Your Garage
Finally, you need to consider how you’ll secure your garage. As additions to many homes, these can be prone to damage during storms. One approach is to reinforce garage doors with bracing kits, which may allow weaker structures to withstand high winds. You should also check the garage door itself. Ensure it is sturdy and that wind can’t get underneath it to rip it out of place.
Of course, the best ways to protect your home from harsh weather will always depend upon where you live. What are the things you do to protect your home?
Disclosure: This is a collaborative post and may contain affiliate links.
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