7 Home Improvements to Protect Your House from Harsh Weather

As extreme weather events become more common and severe, we must prepare our homes to withstand their potential impact. Climate change is leading to stronger storms, longer heatwaves, heavier rainfall, and harsh cold spells, all of which pose significant challenges for homeowners. Such harsh weather conditions threaten our comfort, damage property, jeopardize our safety, and require expensive repairs.

Let’s consider the case of Seattle, known for its substantial rainfall with an average of 156 wet days per year, significantly higher than the national average. The high precipitation levels in Seattle emphasize the need for timely weather-related home upgrades and renovations. Such projects protect your properties from water-related damage like leaks, flooding, and mold growth.

By making deliberate improvements, it’s possible to create a home that serves as both a peaceful retreat and a strong fortress against unpredictable elements. The following section will explore various modifications that enable your property to withstand extreme weather conditions.

Upgrade Sliding

When safeguarding your home against harsh weather conditions, it becomes essential to consider upgrading your home’s siding. Such projects are particularly crucial in areas like Seattle, where frequent strong winds and rain damage properties every year or so. The geographical location of Seattle leads to an average wind rate of approximately 9.2 miles per hour throughout the year. Therefore, investing in top-notch siding materials becomes necessary to endure such challenging weather conditions.

Choosing the appropriate siding material can significantly enhance your home’s ability to withstand strong winds and potential damage from flying debris. Fiber cement and vinyl siding are two widely chosen options recognized for their durability and ability to resist wind damage. They can endure gusts of up to 200 miles per hour, providing excellent protection during storms and ensuring the exterior integrity of your house.

If you reside in Seattle and require reliable options for replacing your siding, a quick search for Seattle Siding Replacement will allow you to contact reputable contractors in the area.

Install a Sump Pump

Investing in a sump pump is viable if you live in an area prone to severe precipitation or where the water level is continuously high. This device, which is normally installed in a specifically engineered hole in your basement or crawl space, collects excess groundwater and safely redirects it away from your property.

Alongside preventing floods, a sump pump reduces moisture and inhibits mold formation, both of which can severely impact the structural integrity of your house and the health of its occupants.

Use Weatherstripping

Weatherstripping is an affordable way to enhance your property’s durability and provides significant advantages. It helps seal your doors and windows effectively, eliminating drafts and maintaining a consistent indoor temperature, regardless of outside weather. Doing so reduces energy expenses by easing the burden on heating and cooling systems.

Various weatherstripping materials are available, including felt, foam, metal, and rubber, each with different benefits and costs. Moreover, weatherstripping protects against water and moisture infiltration, safeguarding your home from potential water damage, especially during rainy seasons.

Consider Landscaping

Trees and shrubs, when correctly placed, can operate as a protective barrier, significantly reducing wind speed before it reaches your house during storms.

In addition to providing a windbreak, these plantings can shade your home during the summer months, resulting in a cooler indoor climate and lower air conditioning expenditures. Most importantly, including well-designed rain gardens or swales in your landscape can efficiently regulate stormwater runoff and lessen the risk of floods.

However, regular tree and shrub upkeep must be prioritized. Regularly trimming trees ensures the elimination of weak branches that could represent a threat to your home during heavy winds.

Install Storm Shutters

Storm shutters are an excellent investment for homes in hurricane-prone or storm-prone zones. These shields are designed to safeguard windows against powerful gusts and airborne debris, effectively preventing them from shattering. By doing so, they protect your home from potential water damage and dangerous weather conditions.

These shutters are crafted from durable materials like aluminum, steel, or impact-resistant polycarbonate. Moreover, they come in various styles, such as accordion shutters, Bahama shutters, roll-down shutters, and colonial shutters.

These window treatments provide both practical functionality and aesthetic appeal to your home. Depending on your specific needs and the architectural style of your building, you can decide between fixed storm shutters for extra convenience and easily removable storm shutters for increased flexibility.

Strengthen Doors and Entryways

The durability and security of your house in adverse weather conditions heavily rely on your entrances and doors. Evaluating their sturdiness and defensive features is critical to increasing your home’s ability to withstand such scenarios.

When selecting external doors, it’s best to opt for tough materials like steel or solid wood. Installing deadbolt locks that extend at least one inch into the door frame can also provide additional security against strong winds and unwanted access.

Garage doors require special attention since they’re frequently the primary and most vulnerable entry point into a house. One option is to reinforce them with additional support or to replace them with doors.

Secure Outdoor Structures

Ensuring the safety of your home during extreme weather conditions goes beyond just securing the main building. Protecting external structures like sheds, pergolas, and gazebos is equally important. If these structures aren’t properly anchored when strong winds hit, they can suffer significant damage or even become dangerous projectiles.

So, to minimize these risks for smaller structures, it’s crucial to use sturdy tie-downs or anchors. For larger structures, it’s recommended to have concrete footers that extend below the frost line.

And let’s not forget about securing or relocating outdoor items like barbecues, patio furniture, and garbage cans when a storm is on its way. It may not seem like a big deal, but these seemingly harmless objects can quickly turn into destructive projectiles if left unattended.

Conclusion

Investing in house upgrades to protect your home from adverse weather is a wise investment that ensures your family’s safety and reduces potential damage. You can firmly defend your property from the elements and weather storms by reinforcing certain areas, installing storm shutters, and enhancing drainage systems. Nonetheless, ensure to enlist the assistance of professionals since they possess the relevant skill, tools, and expertise to protect and safeguard your property against weather damage.