Is Your Home Ready for Extreme Weather Change?
As a homeowner, you're going to have to make sure your house can keep up with all that nature is trying to throw at it, no matter where you live. Is your home ready? Here's a short list to check.
Do You Know Your Climate Risks?
Before you can get your house ready for the weather, you need to know what risks you face. The normal weather hazards you grew up with may be changing dramatically as some areas get warmer and wetter. If you were once in an area that was prone to dramatic weather shifts, watch for even more dramatic weather, and keep track of the new challenges that seem to repeat. These are the hazards to prepare for. Long-term weather forecasting can help somewhat, but those models can't always account for things like drought and severe thunderstorms.
Insulate and Weatherproof Your Home
No matter what kinds of climate shifts your area experiences, there's absolutely a benefit to adding insulation and sealing the cracks in your home. Insulation works both ways: it keeps the warm in where it's cool and it keeps the cool in where it's warm. Sealing and weatherproofing further help you spend less on energy on extreme weather days and can help keep pests out of your home too.
Consider a Household Generator
When the weather gets dramatic, the true fragility of the power grid starts to show. Whether it's a surprise ice storm in January that pulls down branches and power lines, extreme heat that taxes the power grid or hurricanes that temporarily, and unpredictably, cause power outages, a household generator can be a good solution.
Because they run on propane or natural gas, you don't need electricity to keep your house powered through the worst kinds of weather, just enough gas to run the motor and generate electricity for your home.
Protect From Wind and Flying Debris
Tornadoes and hurricanes are terrifying, especially in areas that don't normally see these kinds of wind events. If you're starting to hear more about high winds in your area, it's time to protect your home from flying debris. Although covering windows with plywood will work in a pinch, permanently installed storm shutters are even better if you live in or close to a coastal area. You can close them over your windows in no time, and reopen them when the threat has passed.
Need Help Making These Changes?
If you're needing help getting your home ready for more extreme weather, it's ok! Just ask your friendly HomeKeepr community for recommendations for all the best shutter installers, weather proofers, tree trimmers, and generator experts in your area. They'll be happy to help, and you'll know you're getting the very best team in your area.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider sharing it with others.
Saved
