How To Secure Your Home In A Storm

• March 1, 2017|
• News|
• Darren Clarke

Storm Doris may have passed us by but we’re sure to have terrible weather again in the near future. After all, summer’s on the way! It’s important that you know what to do to protect your house if a storm is raging overhead so here are some top tips to help you do just that.

First of all, remember that you won’t be able to properly secure everything and if something is going to happen in high winds, it’s going to happen. Maintaining your roof throughout the year is advisable so it can withstand gusts of wind, but if the gusts are strong enough then you’ll see some of your roof tiles disappear regardless. There’s also not much you can do about falling branches, unless you spot that one is weakened and take it down before the storm hits.

It would be advisable to have a quick look outside before the storm arrives to see if any of the trees near your house are in bad condition and if there’s anything you can do to make them more secure. But all too often, you can’t tell which trees are likely to come down in a storm so you have to just cross your fingers and hope for the best.

Luckily, there is a lot you can actually do to make sure your house weathers the storm successfully. For example, go around your garden and secure items like pot plants, furniture and ladders (or bring them indoors), check that the fence panels are secure and ensure your car isn’t parked near any big trees to protect it from falling branches.

It’s also wise to check that any external light fittings you have are properly secure and that all your gates and outbuilding doors are properly fastened.

Once the outside is secure, head indoors and make sure that you’ve properly battened down the hatches, with all doors and windows properly closed and locked. Unplug electrical appliances in case there’s a power surge and always do a backup of your computers, then turn them off so you know you won’t lose anything important.

Putting together a storm kit might also be a good idea. This could include a torch, spare batteries, emergency contact details, warm clothes, blankets, a spade and your house insurance documents in case something does happen and you need to ring your insurer.

If you’ve got vulnerable friends and family that live nearby, make sure that you check on them before the storm hits and go around their houses as well to ensure that everything is in good enough condition to withstand gales of up to 95mph. It might be nice to invite them over to your house so you can all wait out the storm together, as well.

Those of you looking into buying bi fold doors in Cheshire should give us here at Malbern Windows a call!