How to Ensure Your Property is Ready for Extreme Weather

You never know what’s in store with winter, sometimes all the winter brings is a icy car in the morning, but sometimes winter can bring a lot worse, in the form of extreme weather. Taking note of the following steps will save you a lot of costly repairs down the line. This will give you peace of mind for the last few months of winter.

Be Prepared for Power Outages

You never know what can happen to your energy supply in times of extreme weather and so it never hurts to be prepared. Make sure you have a flashlight with fresh batteries in an accessible place, as well as a good supply of candles. It is also wise to have the details of your electricity provider on hand in case you need to contact them.

Have the Right Insurance

Strong winds, heavy snowfall, and flooding can all cause significant damage to your home, so it is wise to ensure that your home and contents insurance provides cover for standard weather-related perils, including damage caused by flood, storms, and falling trees. When it comes to making the best call, you should determine if it is only your home that you want to be insured or try a home and auto insurance instead. After choosing an appropriate insurance agency, this will make things a lot easier for you

Put Away or Secure Garden Furniture

You don’t want to be wrangling your trampoline back from five doors down in treacherous winds. Make sure any furniture is put away in a sheltered place or secured down before it becomes a missile! 

Check Your Roof

Start on the inside, or in the loft, and check for any sagging, watermarks or rot. See if you can spot any sunlight poking through which would indicate holes. Look for loose and damaged roof tiles.

Of course, there is a safety issue when checking the roof and, unless you have all the appropriate safety equipment, you may be better off employing the services of a maintenance company like urban-propertymaintenance.com who offer a professional and reliable service for your peace of mind.

Clear Your Guttering

Blocked or damaged guttering can cause significant damage to your property. Check your gutters are clear of leaves and make appropriate repairs to any sagging gutters. The best way to ensure your gutters are functioning optimally is to don your wet weather gear and head outside in the rain. This way, you will soon be able to spot any leaks in the joints or downpipes that could potentially cause water damage to your property. 

Trim Your Trees

Make sure that you remove any branches that could otherwise cause damage to structures or power supplies. For large trees, it is wise to employ the services of a tree surgeon, who can safely remove offending branches while also looking after the health of the tree.

Frost Proof Your Pipes

Burst pipes are the most common cause of property damage, so it’s essential that you take appropriate steps to prevent this from happening. The pipes most at risk are in unheated interior spaces such as basements, attics and garages. Pipe insulation is available at very reasonable rates and should be used in these areas. If you plan to go away, make sure you set the thermostat at a constant temperature to minimise risk.