Tips for Preparing Your Water Main for Storm Season

When the weather gets warmer, storms tend to be more common. Although some light rain once in a while can be pretty relaxing, heavy annual storms can devastate your home.

However, there are numerous lines of defense that you can have at your disposal to protect your home. Follow these tips for preparing your water main for storm season to protect your property and your family.

Turn the Valve for Your Water Main Off

When flooding is a distinct possibility, you should turn off the valve to your home’s water main. Doing so will stop stormwater from contaminating your water supply and help your pipes avoid any preventable damage.

If you don’t know where the valve is for your water main, you should check your garage and basement or search your front yard for a utility cover. Once you find it, all you need to do is twist the valve into the Off position.

Clear Out Your Downspouts, Drains, and Gutters

If you want to avoid a clog or backup, clear out any debris in your downspouts, gutters, and drains. Cleaning these areas will help water flow and limit any unnecessary plumbing dilemmas.

Understanding the difference between a sewer line and a water line is crucial to ensuring your sewer line doesn’t get backed up. Over time, debris will clog your sewer line, which could be dangerous. If a serious storm occurs, it could back up your sewage into your home. Clearing out the debris in other areas of your home serves as an effective safeguard against this problem.

Buy a Sump Pump

You should move all your valuables to higher ground before the storm settles in if your region is prone to floods. Installing a sump pump will move any incoming water toward a hole in the floor called the sump. For the most effective solution, install a battery backup for your sump pump in case the power goes out. This addition will prevent your home from flooding even when you don’t have electricity.

Storm season can wreak havoc on your home if you don’t prepare properly. Now that you know a few tips for preparing your water main for storm season, be sure to follow them before any damage can occur.

Guest Post - How to Prepare Your Home for Inclement Weather

All kinds of challenges come with owning a home, and preparing for bad weather is one of them. Being ready for whatever’s to come can be one of the most important things you can do, both for your family and your house. Here’s how you can prepare your home for inclement weather, both inside and out.

1. Have Salt on Hand

Using salt to coat your driveways and walkways can ensure nothing freezes over and causes people to slip. Keep a bag in your garage or shed at all times so you don’t have to worry about running out and restocking.

2. Pull Out Your Snowblower

There are plenty of places that get several feet of snow at a time. Whether you’re expecting mere inches or a total coating, pulling the snowblower out and having easy access can make cleaning things off a much easier endeavor.

3. Disconnect Your Garage Door Opener

If you have people coming and going by way of the garage, it’s important to make sure the doors can withstand the elements. Disconnecting the opener from the garage door can ensure it doesn’t get opened during the storm accidentally.

4. Clean Your Gutters

Ensuring your gutters are cleaned out before a storm hits can make things much less likely to freeze or get stuck. Usually, it’s best to do this early in the season if possible. Each fall and spring, climb up there and remove all the leaves and debris that has accumulated since the last cleaning.

Prepping Your Home for a Storm

Storms can sometimes be scary. If you’re adequately prepared for the inclement weather ahead, you’ll have a much easier time cozying up and waiting for it to pass. You can ride the storm out with the peace of mind that you’ve taken every precaution needed to stay safe.

Author bio: Rose Morrison is the managing editor of Renovated, where she offers advice on home renovation, maintenance, and organization.

How Hailstorm Can Damage Your House

If you happen to live in one of the southern and central plain states, then hailstorms should not be an uncommon occurrence to you. Hailstorms in this region are the result of collision between the moist dry air from The Gulf of Mexico and the cold and dry air from Canada. In general, hailstorms don’t cause casualties, or as severe damage as other natural disasters such as tornadoes or typhoons. However, house owners in hailstorm prone areas do consider hailstorm as an acute nuisance, because of the damage it causes to property. 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has recorded over 6,000 hailstorms during the year 2017. Even though hailstorms were not that much destructive in the past, in recent years the damages caused by this calamity have increased quite significantly. Hailstorms account for 70% of all the losses caused by different types of storms in the US. That pretty much sums up why you, as a homeowner, should take them more seriously. Understanding how a hailstorm can ravage your property will help you take measures to mitigate the damages as much as possible in case a hailstorm occurs in your area. 

Roof Damage

Unfortunately, roofs are the most obvious victims of hailstorms. Depending on the degree of the storm, your roof can suffer from minor to major damages. A hailstorm can even reach more than 100 mph speed, and when your roof is struck by such speedy hail, damages can certainly occur. The worst part is, it is very difficult to detect hail damage on your roof. If your roof has a metal structure, you will notice the dents, but for flat roofs, that is not the case for sure. Be sure to carefully examine your roof to detect potential damages. This way you will be able to avoid any potential conflict with your insurer during the time of settling hailstorm claims.

Window Damage

I think this is very obvious as well. Just like your roof, your windows are completely exposed to hail during a storm. Glass windows can get shattered very easily because of large hail particles. If hail breaks through your windows, it can cause a much more serious problem. Even your family members can get injured by the pieces of glass. If you live in a hailstorm prone area, then it is important for you to add protection to your windows, and even doors if possible. 

Siding Damage

While the lion share of hail damage on your home’s siding would be cosmetic, a too intense hailstorm can even cause leaks and cracks. Just like roof damage, siding damage can be difficult to notice. If your house contains painting instead of siding, then you need to examine the damage in a bit different way. You’ll have to look for any fresh peel in the painting, and carefully look for potential damages in the wood underneath. This is an issue you need to sort out as soon as possible, because exposed wood can rot very soon, increasing your repair costs by quite some margin. Unfortunately, if the damage caused by hail falls under the cosmetic damage category, you are not likely to receive any insurance coverage for that. Usually basic homeowners insurance doesn't account for any damage that does not affect the functionality of your house. That’s why you should consider adding a separate scheme to your insurance policy to cover for cosmetic damage if you live in a hailstorm prone area. Sure, this will push the price of your premium up, but it will be worth it for sure. 

Miscellaneous Damages

Among other common types of hailstorm damages, air conditioning system damage is a notable one. If large pieces of hail fall on the fins of your air conditioning unit, its function will surely impede because of restricted air flow. Flue vents, as well as chimneys, are susceptible to hailstorm damage as well. However, most probably hailstorm damages will not affect the functionality of these units, as most of the time they suffer cosmetic damage. If you happen to have a garden in your house, hailstorms can cause damages like destroying the flowerbeds, making a mess of newly plowed land etc. For this reason, the houses in hailstorm prone areas don’t have gardens that often. 

Conclusion

The types of damages I have explained in this article are just the most common ones, and there are many other types of minor damages that I have not mentioned. Hailstorms are indeed a very serious problem for homeowners in some areas, but it’s the reality. That’s why you should consider getting specific insurance premiums that cover hailstorm damages should you live in one of such areas. 

Do you live in a hailstorm affected area? What is your experience with hailstorms? Let me know in the comment section.