Costly storm risks include water damage like flooding, high winds that can damage roofs or create projectiles, and ice-related damage from burst pipes or ice dams causing gutters to back up. Fortify your space from these weather risks.
The Insurance Information Institute defines a catastrophe as a natural event that causes $25 million or more in insured property losses. From seasonal changes to location vulnerability and global warming, homeowners have to protect their property. Avoid becoming part of this statistic by fortifying your home with renovations from impact windows to better drainage.
What Are Key Storm Risks for Homeowners to Worry About?
Whether you're dealing with a hurricane, tornado, or a massive snowstorm, your home can be at risk from severe water or wind damage. Lower temperatures can cause ice accumulation that puts extra load on roofs and pipes, while unpredictable lightning strikes can make trees more dangerous.
Water Damage
Coastal storms and intense downpours can create a water surge that causes major flooding on lower levels. As a result, it can ruin your home's foundation and drywall and cause a major loss of personal belongings and fatalities from drowning when levels get too high.
Torrential rains can lead to leaking roofs that damage attics and drywall on any level. If it doesn't dry quickly, mold can quickly breed in as little as 24 to 72 hours, creating a bigger health risk.
High Winds
Extreme winds can strip roof shingles and knock over weak or dead trees. If only one tree falls in the wrong direction, it can cause even more damage if it lands on you or someone else's home, cars, or, worse, a person below.
Projectiles are another concern when winds get too high. Anything from tree branches to grills or trash cans can quickly blow through your window if not secured outside or put away.
Icy Impact
Hail is ice stones as small as a pea or as large as a grapefruit and is a common cause of damaged asphalt shingles that dent, crack, or fracture them. It can also cause damage to your roof's soft metal vents or flashing. Hail may also reach and chip away at siding while denting your garage doors.
Another icy concern is ice dams, which form when melting or freezing snow creates dams along gutters. Water can back up under your shingles and further leak down into your walls and ceilings. If it freezes over, it can cause your pipes to burst.
Heavy snow building up on a weak roof can exceed its structural load capacity. That can lead to a collapse.
Vulnerable Trees
Trees are often the tallest structure in an area, making them a target for lightning strikes. If lightning splits or shatters a nearby tree, it could crash into the house.
When trees are uprooted and fall, they can block your neighborhood's roads until emergency services remove them. Even if the whole tree doesn't fall, one heavy branch can be just as damaging if it hits a roof or someone nearby. These branches can also hit power lines, causing massive blackouts.
How Can People Protect Their Property?
Fortify your home and reduce possible property repair costs with a preventative inspection and roof repair. If replacement is an option, a metal roof can last decades as it has a Class A rating.
Keep your gutters and downspouts free of leaves and debris to prevent water backing up. Now is the time to renovate with impact-resistant glass windows and storm shutters to help prevent wind, rain, and projectiles from getting inside. Learn how to get flood insurance in Texas to handle repair expenses.
Mind your property trees by trimming branches, as they shouldn't be hanging over the roof. If a tree looks weak or dead, remove it before storm season hits.
Outside furniture, potted plants, and grills can easily become projectiles. Bring any portable items inside that you can and tie down others securely.
Damage Has Happened: What to Do Next?
The first step in emergency mitigation is to check your exterior for gas leaks, broken glass, or structural damage to your entryways or roofing. Hissing sounds and smells can warn of a gas leak, so you should leave immediately and call emergency services or your utility provider.
During water disaster management, avoid moving around unprotected in floodwaters, as they may be contaminated or even electrically charged. If water is pouring in from outside or there's a burst pipe, shut off the main water source. If any windows are broken or something is leaking, try to cover up these compromised areas.
Document existing damage by taking photos and videos of the overall space, including close-ups of specific damage points. Keep receipts for everything from hotel stays to temporary repairs to submit to your insurer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are the 5 Stages of Disaster Management?
Following the five stages of disaster management can help protect lives and restore communities quickly.
These steps include:
- Prevention - like identifying hazards
- Mitigation - anything that reduces the severity of impact
- Preparedness - drills and public education
- Response - rescue operations and medical aid
- Recovery - clearing debris and restoring infrastructure
What Is the Difference Between Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation?
Mitigation usually focuses on reducing or eliminating long-term risks and the physical impact of hazards before they happen. However, preparedness focuses on building operational capacity to respond effectively if a disaster strikes.
The primary purpose of preparedness is to ensure everyone from homeowners to organizations and operational systems has all the plans, training, and resources to efficiently act during an emergency.
A mitigation plan can break the damage-reconstruction cycle and may involve changes like:
- Strict building codes
- Elevating homes away from floodplains
- Better zoning
- Engineered earthquake-resistant bridges
Your Home Can Weather the Storm
Homeowners can manage storm risks from heavy rains to high winds with fortifying renovations like impact-resistant windows and keeping gutters cleaned. Understand the immediate steps to take if damage occurs, such as shutting off water valves and covering damaged openings. With the right plan, you can stay safe and avoid costly damage.
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