When people talk about preparing your home for the winter and the harsh weather that comes along with it, they are usually focused on keeping warm or preventing damage from the rain. But what about high winds?
Strong winds can do a lot of damage to your home and the surrounding area if you are not careful. The good news is, with a few simple changes, you can protect yourself.
Cut Back Trees
Trees pose a serious danger in high winds because the branches can come loose. If that happens, then the heavy limbs can come crashing down on your house, or even worse yet, someone could get hurt. So, now is the perfect time to call in a professional tree service and get them to take a look. They can remove any loose branches that pose a danger, and also make sure that your tree is healthy and disease-free.
Fix Anything That Is Loose
Anything that is already loose on the house will easily break in high winds, so you need to make some repairs. Roof tiles and siding should be nailed down so it doesn't fly away and do damage. If you start getting gaps in the roof or the siding on your home, you will find it impossible to keep the house warm during winter. You may also get rainwater leaking in, which leads to a whole host of other problems. Ideally, you should find reputable local roofers to check your roof for you as they will not only know what to look for, but they will do it safely too.
Check the garden fences for any loose panels too because these can break in high winds and leave your garden exposed. Making small fixes now will save you a lot of money in the long term because the damage will be much worse if you wait until the wind has started tearing chunks off your house.
Secure Items In The Garden
Large items such as BBQs can easily get picked up in high winds and damage your home or injure someone. It only takes a little bit of time and effort to tie them down securely so they don't go anywhere.
Even items like patio furniture need to be secured because if the winds are high enough, they can still cause damage. If you have a shed in the garden, it should be locked down too, especially if there is anything inside that can get blown around and damage your house or someone else's property.
Bolster The Weak Entry Points
Weak spots like doors and windows need extra attention. Wooden frames might be able to withstand the pressure of the wind, but it won't matter if they are not properly secured. You can use a few simple fixes to strengthen them, including tightening up the screws on the hinges and filling any gaps in wooden window frames. That way you'll get rid of any gaps and make it much more difficult for high winds to do any damage.
People often underestimate just how much damage the wind can do to their homes. However, you can manage the risks if you follow these simple steps to prepare your home. Always make sure to check the weather regularly too, so you know when high winds are coming.
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