Preparing for the unexpected is one thing the world learned in the last few years. Your home is probably your most significant investment, so you cannot take chances when protecting it from the unforeseen. According to a 2021 survey, 1 in 10 US homes was affected by natural disasters, such as flooding, hurricanes, wildfires, etc. To avoid becoming a part of the statistics, below are a few tips to help protect your home if you live in a region prone to extreme weather conditions or natural disasters.

1. Have disaster plan

Disaster threats are so many, and your home may be vulnerable to more than one regardless of where you live. As a result, it is crucial to have a disaster plan tailored to particular natural disasters that are common in your region. Fortunately, there are helpful resources for dealing with such events. It would help to consider the following when creating a disaster preparedness plan. First, keep a disaster kit in an accessible location and store all essential documentation in one location, including IDs, medical history, and insurance. Additionally, maintain basic items such as the first kit, area maps, and hand tools in your vehicle. Also, designate a meeting place and evacuation routes for your household. Since you may have little time to evacuate if a disaster occurs, it is critical to have a strategy to move your household out of harm’s way as swiftly and effectively as possible.

2. Rethink your windows

Your windows can be a weak spot in your home. For instance, radiant waves from wildlife can shatter them and allow flames inside. Single-pane window types are the most vulnerable, so it would be best if you invested in the double-pane alternative with exterior tempered glass. You can also install roll-down metal file doors to secure your sliding glass windows and doors. However, depending on your architecture, your basement windows should be considered since they are the first to be affected during a disaster.

3. Tweak your landscaping

Protecting your home from flooding can be difficult when surrounded by non-porous material. These kinds of surfaces allow water to flow towards your property instead of seeping into the ground. Some solutions will be to turn your concrete driveways to gravel, dig swales into redirecting stormwater from your property, or leverage absorbent mulch to lower the chances of flooding. You can also place barrels underneath gutter downspouts to mitigate basement flooding. It is advised that you keep the moisture in your foundation constant if you live in a flood-prone region. This way, rainwater won’t percolate into the soil underneath your home.

4. Update your old electrical wiring

Thunderstorms may seem like a minor issue compared to other natural disasters. But a lightning strike is no joke. According to the Insurance Information Institute, insurers paid around $1.3 billion for lightning damages in 2021 alone. In addition to the risks of fires, lightning can cause power surges, damaging your home appliances. It would be best if you called the electrician if your home has an old wiring system. You can also get some surge protectors to secure your electronics.

5. Bolt your wall bottom and strengthen cripple walls

Properly bolting your home’s bottom walls to the foundation is necessary for disasters like earthquakes. Consider installing steel anchor plates along the sill to make your home resistant to earthquakes and tremors. It is best to hire a professional to ensure anchors are installed correctly. Similarly, consider strengthening cripple walls to prevent crawl spaces between your home’s foundation and the first story. Cripple walls absorb earthquake shocks, and leaving them loose might cause your home to roll off its foundation. You can also install vented or diagonal plywood casing along your wall’s length to strengthen cripple walls, so feel free to consider this.

6. Secure your roofing

Roofing is a critical aspect of every home, but many overlook it. Since it is the roof that shelters your home, it is vital to give it an additional layer of water protection. Likewise, use wind-proofing nails to secure your shingles. This is particularly crucial if you live in a storm-prone area and want your roof spared when mother nature visits, so keep this in mind. For this reason, getting experienced roofers like Asset Roofing to inspect and ensure it properly safeguards your home and structure against water damage is useful.

You put your family in the best possible position when you prepare your home for extreme weather conditions. And since they are unexpected, it is better to be safe than sorry. It is one of the best investment property.

[All images were downloaded from unsplash]