Our homes are our escapes from the world, the places that we feel most safe and secure. We put a lot of time, effort, and money into making them nice, and so, any damage to our homes – big or small, can be devastating. Of course, we often forget that our homes are vulnerable, or can be, to damage. The thing is bricks and mortar can only hold out against so much, and it’s important to understand that. Despite what you may think, your home isn’t invincible.
Did you know that come winter, your home is twice as likely to fall foul to damage? In the warmer and drier summer months, the chances of your home being damaged are much lower than in the winter. This is because the combination of cold and harsh weather means that often, our homes get battered. With that in mind, it’s important to know the steps to take to prepare for the onset of the colder weather, to ensure that your home is kept safe and sound.
Step 1: Get adequate insurance
If you don’t already have home insurance in place, now is the time to get it. You may be under the misapprehension that your home is very unlikely to become damaged beyond repair, but you never know. A thunderstorm could lead to a stray bolt of lightning striking it and setting your roof on fire, for instance. It’s unlikely but possible. That’s why it pays to have adequate home insurance in place, so that whatever happens, you’re covered.
Step 2: Make your roof a priority
Roofs are prone to damage, especially in the colder winter weather. So it’s important that before the winter weather arrives, you take the time to give your roof the protection it needs. The first thing that you need to do is check it for any weaknesses – cracks, missing tiles, etc. Then, you need to think about how you can make it stronger and less likely to suffer damage related to the weather. One way to do this, for instance, is to have roof heating cables installed. These help to melt any snow or ice that covers your roof, preventing the tiles from becoming weakened or damaged by it.
Step 3: Ensure the interior of your home is weather tight
This may sound strange, as most of us presume that our homes are weather tight, but that’s not always the case. You see, many windows, for instance, let a draft in, as well as small droplets of water, which can cause damage to the window frames. A simple fix for this is applying temporary window seals to the interior of your windows. The same products can be used to seal doors that let in wind and rain droplets. Chimneys can be harder to fix. However, for chimneys that aren’t in use, putting a pillow inside them can help.
So there you have it, the best ways to prepare your home for ice, snow, and everything else that comes with the colder winter weather.