Home Maintenance for Storms

8/17/2021 (Permalink)

The dog days of summer are on us, which means pop up afternoon thunderstorms. Being from Alabama you know that the weather is constantly changing. As the weather changes, what can you do to protect your home against water damage?

Start with the outside first

• Clean your gutters: when gutters are full of leaves, they don’t allow rain water to flow naturally and can result in an overflow of water.  This water might find it’s way into your house via your walls, roof, or accumulation that results in ground-floor flooding.

• Check trees around your house: any trees that are close to your home could ultimately fall in a windy storm, breaking your roof and allowing water to seep into your home.  Trees that are too close to your home can also allow animals to climb into your attic, further breaching your roof’s integrity.

• Check your roof: We have been speaking about the importance of maintaining your roof to keep the inside dry.  Now is the time to make sure you don’t have any loose shingles or tiles.  

Time to Check Inside

• Check your windows and doors: weather-stripping around doors and windows can help to make sure rain doesn’t come indoors.  You will want to look for obvious cracks, spaces, and loose hardware. These items can allow droplets to rain into your home.

• Check the foundation: Look for any cracks in the foundation or in the walls.  If any are found, deal with them immediately.

• Check your garage door: it is important to ensure that it closes fully and properly to prevent water from entering during a storm.