We only have to look around to realize that extreme weather is becoming common. From wildfires to hurricanes and floods, we are experiencing weather patterns that most homeowners are not prepared for. That is why we will look at a few different ways in which you can protect your home against increasingly volatile weather.
Get a Cooler Roof
Basic science tells us that darker colors absorb heat while lighter surfaces do so to a lesser degree. Lighter roofing materials can lower your home’s temperature by 50 to 100 degrees. Remember that some of the hottest years have been in the last decade, and scientists say that it is going to get much worse. If your home has a dark-colored roof, consider carrying out roofing replacements to get a lighter roof.
If you cannot do a full roofing replacement, consider a cool roof coating. This is a thick white paint applied to a roof. It works on different types of roofs and in addition to protecting your indoors from sweltering heat, it also has water resistance and chemical protection properties.
Minimize Water Damage
Those living in areas prone to flooding can do a few things to protect their homes from water damage:
- Raise generators, water heaters, furnaces and other mechanical systems above the flood level
- Install flooding detectors so you know when your basement is flooding. This will give you ample time to take action
- Install a backwater valve. This helps prevent sewage from getting into the basement through a basement drain.
Add Water-absorbing Insulation
Use gravel and other materials that let the ground absorb water in your compound. This will reduce water accumulation and flow into the house.
Carry Out Roofing Repair
Leaky roofs are a major cause of water damage in the case of volatile weather. If your roof is leaking, consider contacting a professional and experienced company like Semper Solaris to repair it for you. They offer top of the line roofing repair and replacement options and work with lots of different types of roofs.
Protect Your Home from Hurricanes
Water and strong winds are some of the most destructive forces in the world. A windstorm or hurricane can leave your house in ruins. If you live in areas where there is the risk of your house being destroyed by wind, there are a few things you could do:
- Add impact-resistant windows and doors. These are usually resistant to strong winds up to a certain threshold. They also come with additional benefits like reducing noise inside the house, helping keep your house cool or warm and being burglar-resistant.
- Strengthen your roof. When doing roofing repair, add truss bracing if your home has gabled roofs. Roofs are usually the first to go in case of strong winds, which might lead to water damage in your home if there is a storm happening concurrently.
Make Your Home Fire-resistant
Wildfires have been in the news recently, and when they happen, they damage homes and other properties. While experts agree that it is impossible to make your home 100 percent fireproof, you could make it at least fire-resistant.
One way to do this is to ensure that your contractor uses fire-resistant materials when building the house. These include fire-resistant cement, metal beams and fire-resistant paint inside and out.
If you do not have the luxury of building a new home, start with landscaping. Remove mulch and excess vegetation around the house. If you want to go further, you could use rock mulch around the house. Try to ensure that you have at least five feet of coverage between the house and where any vegetation can be found.
To fireproof your entrances, consider going with:
- Dual-paned windows
- Fiberglass doors
- Tempered glass windows
Get House Insurance
A lot of people think about the physical aspects of protecting their homes from volatile weather but never think of getting house insurance. Insurance is meant to protect your home from damage, be it human or natural.
When getting house insurance, ensure that you read the policy very carefully. A lot of insurance providers will happily cover fires or burglary but never consider covering your house for natural events. It might cost you more than normal insurance, but it is much better than having your home lost and getting no compensation for it.
Shopping for the best insurance providers is like shopping for any other insurance provider. Ensure that they:
- Have a good reputation of paying claims
- Do not charge exorbitant premiums
- Can cover your home plus everything in it in the event of a natural disaster
Events caused by volatile weather are happening more frequently, and they are likely to get worse. If you do not want to lose your home, you must take measures to protect it from the effects of volatile weather. The most important areas to keep an eye on are fire-proofing your home, protecting it from the effects of strong winds, and flooding. You should also consider insurance that covers damages caused by natural disasters.
Leave a Reply