DIY Home Safety Tips

Your home withstands a lot year after year, especially from season to season. From storms to flooding, Mother Nature can subject your home to many environmental hazards, and it is your job as the homeowner to ensure your home’s safety. Here are some simple do-it-yourself tricks to help keep your home safe.

• Grab a ladder and get up on your roof. Storms accompanied by high winds may have caused roof riles to be damaged or impaired. If this is the case, future storms become more than just a transportation hazard – the interior of your home may be subject to water leakage – so it’s essential to inspect your roof thoroughly.
• While you’re up there, take a look at the gutters. Gutters are a natural place for vacant tree leaves and debris to reside and build over time. If not tended to, this buildup can cause water damage to the interior of your home. Always ensure that water is draining properly from your gutter. The professional painters in Newburyport, Ma say excess water can cause leakage into your home, dampening your walls, ruining your drywall, and creating structural issues.
• It’s crucial that you also check on any possible shutters or fencing surrounding your home. Again, something as simple as high winds may cause severe damage to your fencing or shutters, possibly even blowing parts of them completely away. To prevent this, make sure that any old or damaged shutters and fencing panels are completely secure.
• If you’re feeling a draft in your home, check your attic– if applicable, of course. Chances are the insulation is old or damaged. Be sure to replace the damaged insulation in a timely manner, as it may be the cause of a steadily rising gas bill, as well as lower temperatures in your home.
• Prevent any flood waters from destroying your home by installing a sump pump. While there is no real absolute method to protect your home from flooding, a sump pump will keep water leakage at a normal level around your home, consequently acting as a huge flood drain.
• An overall safety tip is to be aware. If a powerful and potentially damaging storm is coming your way, be sure to move all items of value to the highest possible point in your home. Check for wiring, sockets, switches, and circuit breakers that could be damaged if a flood occurred and move what you can out of harm’s way. Develop a habit of checking your roof and gutters as the seasons change.

Environmental damage to your home is inevitable, making it your job to ensure the utmost protection of your home. It is best to check for small problems and deal with them as they occur, rather than deal with a major problem later and pay a hefty fine. If your home is damaged beyond your control, contact your home insurance company for more information.