Preventive and scheduled maintenance is important all the time, but it’s never more crucial than during storm season. Without preventative maintenance, a storm can easily leave you with no power and a great deal of damage to your property. This year, don’t end up at the closest hotel waiting out the storm when you could be in the comfort of your own home. Take action before it’s too late! So, what precautionary measures can you take to prepare your home for storm season? Here are some “musts” from our Dibico Home Management experts.
Make Necessary Roof Repairs
By ignoring impaired shingles, you risk avoidable damage to your home in the event of heavy rain or high-speed winds. While your home insurance should cover damage caused by a storm — a claim may not be approved if it can be proven that the damage was avoidable had necessary repairs been made beforehand. We recommend verifying that your roof is in tip-top shape prior to a storm to steer clear of any potential leakage and expensive emergency repairs.
Trim Surrounding Trees
Hurricanes bring powerful winds, which can cause trees to fall and limbs to break. With Dibico Home Management, we’re sure to keep dangerous branches and trees at bay, by trimming any branches that extend over your roof and removing any dead trees that are in close proximity to your home.
Inspect and Weather Strip Windows and Doors
In order to keep damp, cold air and rain out, it’s important that every window and door be thoroughly inspected and that all weather stripping is in place and in good condition, properly installed. Even the smallest undetected leak or crack can cause thousands of dollars in damage. During routine and preventative maintenance, our home management experts re-caulk and seal around any necessary doors and windows to help keep water out during heavy rains or flooding.
Clean Gutters & Downspouts
Checking your gutters and downspouts before and after a storm is crucial. It’s imperative that you clean out your gutters prior to a storm to avoid build up and overflow that can cause water to pool. After a storm, they need to be inspected for damage to ensure that they are working properly. Dibico’s experts also recommend double-checking any outdoor drains and grates, guaranteeing that all drainage areas are clear in anticipation of inclement weather.
Inspect the Fireplace, Chimney & Flues
Since the chimney tends to be the highest point of your home, it’s common for it to receive damage during a storm due to powerful rain and high winds. We recommend prior to using your fireplace, that a thorough inspection of the fireplace, chimney, and flues are conducted to ensure that all parts are working properly and haven’t received any damage or been blocked by debris.
Collect & Cover Necessary Items
To ensure that your luxury outdoor furniture stays clean and intact, we recommend bringing any and all furniture inside to avoid damage to the furniture or your home. On top of that, it’s important that you cover any non-movable items such as the air conditioning unit or grill with a waterproof cover to avoid weathering during storm season and to keep leaves and other items from getting stuck in between grates or caught in the motor.
We hope for an uneventful storm season, but no one knows what the season holds. Your best prevention is preparation. We hope that you’ll call us before a big storm, but in the event that a storm does affect your area, know that we are here to help. With Dibico Home Management, we not only conduct preventive home maintenance but also handle repairs – ensuring that you and your home are always taken care of. Contact us today to protect your home from storm season by signing up for our Home Management Program!
