The year can bring about many different weather situations that could prove to be potentially problematic to our homes. Whether it is strong winds, rain, snow, tropical storms, or hurricanes, our homes face the possibility of damages in such instances. There are many small steps we can take to keep our homes safe and deter possible problems that could arise from the various types of weather.
1. Take precautionary steps ahead of time. Always keep in mind that it would be most beneficial to take care of any problems in the months preceding the possibility of inclement weather. Times like spring and fall would be ideal for doing the handy work needed to ensure that your home is weather-proofed sufficiently. During these seasons, you can clean out gutters by removing leaves and stick and install gutter guards that will prevent debris from getting into the gutter. Trimming trees and removing dead branches can also help you to avoid the possibility of them breaking off and causing damage to your home during a storm. Scan the outside of your home and your roof for cracks and holes. This would also be the time to add extra insulation to attics, basements, and crawl spaces, have your heating system serviced and check pipes for cracks and leaks. All of these things will be vital to ensure that your home does not become damaged from snow or rainfall. 2. Consider the affect animals could have on your home. Quite often, we are not the only living things that use our homes. We must keep in mind the affect that animals like birds and squirrels could have on our homes when it comes to weather-proofing them. Birds’ nests and droppings can cause roof damage like leaking and even lead to a roof collapsing. Squirrels can create holes and not to mention much noise if they get to your attic and within your walls. They can cause your homes to become weak, which could eventually factor into damages caused by storms. To counter these threats, you can install such things as bird spikes or bird slopes to make it hard for birds to land on your roof and also make sure you block off all holes or entry points that could permit squirrels to make their way into your home. 3. Think about the season. a. When it comes to winter proofing your home, the most vital thing you need to remember is that you don’t want water from melting snow to be able to infiltrate your home. To ensure this, in the event of snow, you must keep it away from doors or windows, keep walkways and steps clear, keep snow away from air vents, and keep an eye on the flow of water in your gutters. As mentioned in number one, keeping your gutter clean and free from obstruction is important for weather proofing your home based on the fact that if kept clean and empty, water will be able to freely flow throughout them and not get backed up. In the event that the gutters are not cleaned, ice dams can form and prevent any water from draining off, which would cause the water to eventually leak into the home. Also keep in mind that if water does get into your home, that there must be a way that the water can still escape. b. During rainy, tropical, or hurricane seasons, it is important to make sure your roof is completely intact and that things such as shingles aren’t falling off or as also mentioned in number one, that branches and dead trees are not around to cause damage to roofs, windows, and gutters. You want to eliminate the possibility for large amounts of water to come in through your roof. If this happens, it can help lead to your roof structure rotting and eventually collapsing.