If you live in a stormy area regularly affected by hurricanes you don’t need an explanation on how destructive and exhaustive they can be for households and businesses as well and how financially difficult it is to manage repairs when they pass.
2019 was a hard year brought to the USA $1000 million of losses incurred from different natural disasters, like storms, hurricanes, floods. Statistics show the number of such incidents grows each year and they become more severe.
Fortunately, Signature Water and Fire Restorations knows at least 8 ways to make your house storm-proof, so refer below for them.
Check Windows and Doors
Windows and doors seals are affected by time and sunlight. They make it useless over time. So if you’re expecting the storm, ensure your seals are able to hold water. Check every window and door, including ones at the attic, basement, and even a garage.
Ignoring the seals’ importance leads not only to the water got into the house during a storm, but insects and small debris too.
If you noticed seals looking old and worn, have some cracks or holes just replace them.
The main point they should be able to do their job and hold the water during hurricanes and storms, but the other side of this check is to be more energy-efficient and save some money on bills. So find some time for seals inspection each season!
Roof Protection
The second checkpoint during the process of creation of storm-proof house is taking care of the roof. It also has seals, which require regular checks and replacements. But another step is to check damages and fixing them. Damaged roof leads not only to water damage but to mold and pest contaminations.
Inspect your roof thoroughly and ensure all tiles and shingles are in their places, make replacements in case something’s missing. Fix cracks or wholes, if any.
The reasonable investment of a couple of hundreds of dollars is to set sealing at the entire roof deck, which will make it waterproof. It lays between the roof itself and living space, so waterproofing will give assurance the water will not get inside and damage the property even if something will damage the roof.
Hold Roof On
if the hurricanes are habitual things in your are or you often face the strong winds then the roof strapping is a good option for you. This process comes to attaching the house’s roof to the walls using specific metals straps. It allows connecting every side of the roof to the house, especially easy if you have an attic.
Eliminate Holes
If you have appliances, which are attached to the house’s exterior, like cables, furnaces, HVAC systems, you should check the structural for holes in places of connections. Seal them with caulk, if any holes identified, so the water will be disabled from getting through them to your house.
Check Posts
Such places as decks, carports, and porches should also be prepared for the nasty weather. Being connected to the house and affected by the strong wind they are able to make big holes in the house. You can easily avoid this by checking the ground bracing is done properly and reliably. If you have some doubts about this, contact your partnering company to fix it or use concrete as bracing around these posts.
Do Some Yard Work
The house can be simply protected by clearing the yard from all things on it. Strong wind can elevate patio furniture, garden fixtures, trampolines, and potted plants and throw them to your house damaging it and destroying them.
Garage
The common mistake made by homeowners in their storm-proofing process is forgotten garage doors. As they have a low weight they become the number one thing to be destroyed during the storm, but additionally, they can significantly damage your house, being blown and leaving the huge hole in the walls, ceiling, and garage.
Check the garage doors security, it’s tightening, and sealing. reinstall the vertical type of the door, if possible, because its bracing are safer. An alternative decision is to think about horizontal beams installment. They’re braced to door’s each side and in the middle and are useful picking the wind back and protecting the door from blowing.
Obtain Assurance
Expecting the stormy period check the conditions of your home insurance and ensure it covers storm damage and allows house rebuilding in case of the significant destruction.
If you suppose the possibility of rebuilding costs exceeding the house’s market value, then it would be reasonable to increase the insurance amount, which is covered by the insurance policy. It could be a little bit more expensive than usual, but worth it if the worst-case scenario happens.
Another advice from Signature Water and Fire restoration is to add flood insurance to the policy, as the flood often occurs after the storm.
Stay Safe and Be Prepared
It’s hard to predict the impact of natural disasters, but it certainly devastating. But following 8 precautions shared by Signature Water and Fire Restoration you can effectively prepare your house making it storm-proofed.
In case you faced any difficulties at any stage, call our team for consultancy and help at +1-224-515-0100. We sincerely hope you’ll not face serious damage, but in case you’ll need any restoration service call us 24/7 and we’ll come to rescue you!