One of the easiest things to do is to keep your gutters clean. If your gutters are clogged and the water builds up, it can settle around your roof and house, causing water damage to both the exterior and interior of your home. Make sure to have leaders, which are at least 4 feet in length that point away from the foundation.
The winter months can cause damage to your roof, which can cause problems during spring storms. Have a professional roofer evaluate the condition of your roof and repair any lifting or missing shingles or tiles on your roof. Make sure your chimney has a cap on it and doesn’t have cracks, and check that the flashing around the chimney isn’t leaking.
As the leaves return, it’s a good time to have an arborist check your trees and remove dead branches that could become projectiles and cause expensive damage that may not be covered by your homeowners insurance. Trim any branches that could land on your home. Additionally, ensure that landscaping guides water away from your home’s foundation. The ground should slope away from your home at a quarter-inch per foot heading downhill away from the foundation. If you need to, add some soil to create this grade.
Lightning damage is very common with spring and summer storms. You may consider a lightning protection system that includes lightning rods, a surge arrestor and circuit breakers. Employ a licensed electrician to install a comprehensive surge protection system on your home. The insurance information institute offers general guidelines on choosing an appropriate system at
https://www.iii.org/video/how-pick-lightning-protection-system
.
In a storm, outdoor furniture can be turned into missiles if it gets picked up by a strong gust of wind. Take precautions and bringing your furniture inside or securing it can help you avoid this scenario when there are high winds.
Melted snow and rainstorms raise the water levels in lakes, streams and rivers, which can lead to sewage backup problems. Make sure your sump pump is working, and consider a battery-powered backup, which keeps running when the power goes out during a storm (don’t forget to check the batteries). Moving electronics and important files off the floor of your basement can help protect them from damage if your basement floods.
Be sure to notify ACBI of the installation of any home protection devices and we are always here to answer your questions or provide guidance should you need us. You can reach ACBI
via email
or at 203-259-7580.
