It’s hurricane season again and time to get the house and garden ready for the worst. Where to start? Check out these Top 5 Ways to Prepare Your Home for Bad Weather. Sure to make a difference in helping you and your family protect your home and garden for hurricanes, storms, high winds, water and other challenges.
Bad Weather Prep Tip 1. Perform a whole house and garden assessment. Where is your home vulnerable to wind or water damage? What can you do about it? By taking a long, hard look at your home and garden, you can plan in advance for what might happen tomorrow. Be sure to spend some time inspecting your home’s foundation, room, shingles, outbuildings, among others. Consult with the pros as needed.
Bad Weather Prep Tip 2. Make sure your shingles are storm-ready. Are your shingles secure? An expert can inspect your home to make sure the shingle tabs are properly secured with adhesive. If your shingles are found to be vulnerable to wind, you can use a quick-setting asphalt cement to bond your shingle tabs to the underlying shingles. Check out your local hardware store or Sears for asphalt cement and other adhesives. Shop online for deals and discounts.
Bad Weather Prep Tip 3. Make sure your shutters are secured. Worried about your shutters flying off their hinges? Best to install impact-resistant shutters on your large windows and doors. Your home improvement store should have an excellent selection of these items (From $181 to $441 @ Home Depot). These go a long way in protecting windows and doors from flying objects and reduce the chances of a broken window or door. impact-resistant shutters over all large windows and glass doors.
Bad Weather Prep Tip 4. Take care of your roof. Your roof is one area of your home that can be easily neglected. Make sure you or the experts inspect your roof on a regular basis for wear and tear, and for replacement. Small problems on the roof can become big problems during storms and other inclement weather. Keep your roof in ship shape and you’ll reap the dividends during hurricane season. Keep your gutters clear. I like Owens Corning® Rapid Flow Gutter Drainage Protection ($128 @ Ace Hardware) which can keep leaves and debris from clogging while allowing water on your roof to flow freely. There are certainly other systems that will keep water running off your roof and through your gutters.
Bad Weather Prep Tip 5. Protect your home from high water and flooding. Extend your downspouts so that water runs away from your home’s foundation. Identify areas in your yard that puddle or flood. Install a French drain or explore another drainage solution, like gravel, to help water drain better. A channel drain for your garage (available at Lowes and other home improvement stores) will go a long way in keeping water at bay. By attending to your water issues in advance of the storm, you’ll better protect your home and garden from the high water that often accompanies a storm or hurricane.
RESOURCES
Hurricane Preparation Checklists
AccuWeather
National Disaster Preparedness Guide
Ace Hardware
Protect your home against a hurricane, without wasting time
By Jack Williams in USAToday (June 2, 2005)