Residents of North Carolina and South Carolina are not strangers to severe weather. Coastal Carolina homeowners are even used to battening down the hatches during hurricanes from time to time. You may not realize, however, that it’s also important to prepare your Carolina residence for summer thunderstorms. The better prepared you are for any type of severe weather, the less likely it is that serious damage will ever happen to your home.
While no inclement weather preparedness plan is 100% foolproof, the suggestions that are outlined in this guide will go a long way toward getting your house ready for whatever weather summer throws at you. It is important to remember that you need to do each of these chores at least once per year; they are not “one and done” tasks! It’s a good idea to bookmark this guide and revisit it at the start of every Carolina summer season.
Schedule a siding and roof inspection
Before you do anything else, it’s important to schedule a professional siding and roof inspection. A reputable expert will be able to tell you if there are any problems with the exterior of your house that should be addressed before the thunderstorm season arrives. If, for example, your vinyl siding has begun to crack or warp, there is the potential for water to seep underneath of it, ultimately causing mold growth or wood rot.
Have your gutters cleaned
If you haven’t had your home’s gutters cleaned in a while, you should definitely do so before summer arrives in the Carolinas this year. Clogged or bent gutters can wreak havoc during storms because they don’t direct rainwater correctly. Professional gutter cleaning crews will be able to tell you if your gutters require additional maintenance, or even replacement, in order to function properly.
Make sure your trees are trimmed
Tree branches can cause major problems during thunderstorms with strong winds. Keeping any trees near your home properly trimmed can go a long way toward reducing the risk of damage. While there is no guarantee that an especially strong wind gust won’t blow a wayward tree limb onto your roof, keeping trees neat and professionally trimmed is a great way to lower the odds of serious roof damage.
Don’t ignore leaks
Carolina homeowners are sometimes prone to ignore leaky ceilings because they think this issue is just a part of life. If, however, you notice any leaks in your house, you should have your roof looked at as soon as possible. Leaks always equal roofing problems! In most cases, damage of some kind has already occurred by the time a leak becomes apparent. You can, however, stem any further water damage by having your roof replaced promptly.
The team at Hatch Homes provides free estimates and installs a wide variety of roofing materials. If you are thinking about having your current roof replaced before summer storms start this year, give us a call. We will get you on the schedule as soon as we can so you no longer have to worry about the state of your house!