16 May How to Storm-Proof Your Home from Inclement Weather May 16, 2022 By sma Home Maintenance, Safety home exterior, new homeowner, roof, spring, summer 0 HOW TO STORM-PROOF YOUR HOME FROM INCLEMENT WEATHER May 16, 2022 | Home Maintenance, Safety | home exterior, roof, new homeowner, spring, summer A bad storm can bring about so many repairs. From broken windows to downed powerlines and trees. All together, these things can quickly add up to be very costly. The best method of defense is to prepare for disaster before it occurs. Prior to storm-proofing your home, you’ll want to consider the types of inclement weather common to the area where you reside (i.e., blizzards in the Midwest versus hurricanes and floods in southern states). Based on that information, it’s easier to prepare for and prevent future issues that are most likely to occur. Warm Weather Problems In warmer climates, it’s more common to have issues resulting from high-wind storms and possible flooding (depending on how far south you live). To help weatherproof your home in these situations, it’s best to start by ensuring the solidity of your roof. Loose shingles are a frequent issue in areas where high windstorms are common. Making sure that you have a roof with a solid foundation is key. This can be accomplished in one of two ways. The best practice is to use a double layer of shingles that are no more than six inches apart, as this will prevent holes from forming in your roofing. Utilizing the roof sheathing method is also a good idea. Roof sheathing involves a system in which the nails used are spiraled, adding extra hold from the shingle to the roof and further preventing the possibility of leaks or damage. In climates that involve high windstorms, it would also be a good idea to have extra particle board to place over windows to prevent them from breaking directly before a storm hits. In the event of flooding, there are a few things you can do to help minimize damage. One of the easier methods is to apply a heavy sand-based soil to your lawn to help absorb any extra flood waters. While we’re on the topic of landscaping your home, it is also important to note that there should be space between the siding of your home and any mulch used around surrounding areas. This will provide a sort of outlet for excess waters in the same way that a moat would operate. A more expensive option would be to install foundational vents to provide an outlet for water that has entered your home. Cold Climate Issues In colder environments it is common to have home repairs necessary due to hail and snow damage. Weatherproofing in these conditions can be a little trickier. If your home is still in its preliminary building stages, make sure that your roof preferably comes to a peak. Roofs that are flat collect snow easier which over time creates bulging and sinking of ceilings. Relying on the sun to melt the snow to take care of this issue is not a sufficient fix. In the case that you are the owner of a home with a flat roof, make sure to have your roof cleared of snow if the winter season seems to be running longer than usual. Colder climates also welcome the likelihood of hailstorms. While it is sometimes impossible to predict when these types of storms will hit, there are a few things you can do to improve the chances of having only marginal repairs to make. The most expensive repairs to make from these types of storms are typically from restorations required by broken windows. By installing storm shutters, the chances of having broken windows are drastically reduced. To protect your roof from hail damage it is a good idea to have rubber shingles installed using the same sheathing method discussed previously in this post. Concerns for all Climates Checking your gutters is universally important no matter where you live. Clogged gutters can result in damage to the overall structure of your roof and ultimately prevent them from doing their job. In cold weather, blocked gutters can cause debris to weigh heavily on the roof’s structure-at times causing the foundation of the gutters to pull from that of the roof entirely. In warm weather, congested gutters mean that they are not able to carry excess waters from the top to the roof causing bulging and leaks in ceilings. Either way the cost of having the gutters cleaned by far negates the cost of the repair. For more information on this topic and other pointers from the NPI team please make sure to follow: www.npiweb.com/blog. Comments are closed.