While there’s no way to avoid bad and unpredictable weather, that doesn’t mean it’s pointless to take precautions for your home. Adequate preparation is essential to keep your home safe even if it suffers significant weather damage. If you’re not sure where to start, you can always make sure that you have a well-maintained roof above your head and have gutter guards installed to rid yourself of any clogging issues. Here are more tips on how to prepare your home:
Have a Generator Installed
Be it strong winds or heavy rain, you’ll need electricity to run your essential appliances and HVAC system. In case the weather takes out the local power grid, a standby generator can be handy to have in times of crisis. You can choose to install it either in the basement or outside your home depending on the size. Different models are available for your preference and wattage needed, but most are fueled by liquid propane or natural gas. Even a portable generator can be useful if you only need to keep a few appliances and some lights running.
Inspect Your Home Thoroughly
This means you should check your home inside and out before each season to ensure everything is in order. Check your roof and gutters for any sign of potential nesting, and if you see overhanging branches over your roof, we recommend trimming them so that they won’t cause roof damage and affect nearby power lines. Check your windows and doors as well if they’re intact, and consider upgrading to wind-resistant garage doors and shutters to prevent projectiles from smashing into your home in case of extreme weather.
Clean and Manage Your Gutters
Your gutters are crucial in preventing water leaks into your home. To ensure that they work properly, they need to be cleaned and maintained regularly by trusted contractors. They can also inspect your gutters closely and see if the downspouts are positioned to take water away from your home and into the drain. Otherwise, the water runoff may end up puddling around your home’s base and saturate the foundation, landscaping, and walkways.
When it comes to quality gutter guards, you can’t go wrong with Gutter Helmet® of Northern Minnesota! Call us at (866) 937-3508, or fill out our online contact form. We serve our customers in Minnesota, including Duluth and the neighboring areas.
