Fall brings hurricane season. Even if you are not located in or near a coastal region, a hurricane can affect you and your home. Storms this year are powerful and dangerous, so if your home isn’t storm ready, it may be time to get it that way. Unfortunately, storm damage can occur not only during hurricane season but also during times of tornadoes and other intense weather throughout the year. 

No one wants to see their home damaged or destroyed, but always keep safety in mind; your home can be repaired, your safety is the top priority.

Sometimes storm damage is inevitable; even if you do all the right things to protect your home, a powerful storm may result in damage or destruction. However, some things, like roof and gutter care can help prepare and protect your home.

High Quality Roofs

If you have a quality roof in good repair, you are one step closer to protecting your home during a major storm. If you think it’s time to replace your roof, you will want to investigate the right roof system for your home and your geographical location. First, look for a trusted, expert company, like Harry Helmet who has years of expertise behind it.

Here are a few things to look for when considering a new roof:

If you live in a storm prone area, some roof shapes and designs will hold up better than others. According to Science Daily, some key design elements can help protect your home:

• Roofs with multiple slopes such as a hip roof (4 slopes) perform better under wind forces than gable roofs (2 slopes). 
• Roof overhangs should be limited in size because wind can get under the overhang and lift up the roof.
• Good connections of roofs to walls can make a big difference in the survival of strong winds.

A roof in good condition before is more likely to prevail during strong winds. Learn more about roofing.

Good Gutter Systems

Gutters play an important role in protecting your home from storm damage. Just like with roofs, the better condition your gutters are in, the better protection they will provide. It’s important to keep gutters clean and well maintained, 

Seamless gutters tend to last longer and are custom made at your home to have the perfect fit. While they may be made of aluminum, they can also be made of copper, which has a long life. Because they are one continuous piece (except at the corners) they have fewer points of weakness, which is ideal in high wind situations. Whereas sectional gutters have the tendency to gap and warp, seamless gutters don’t. There are also fewer concerns about debris buildup that often happens around the gaps in standard gutters. 

Even if it’s not time to invest in new gutters, it is important to keep your existing gutters clean and in good working order. Make sure they are all connected and are properly secured to your home. In a storm, pieces of gutters can easily be pulled off if not attached to the home accordingly. This includes downspouts as well.

Take precautions to keep your home safe year round, not just right before a major storm hits. Schedule an appointment now.

Written by Del Thebaud