Prepare your Home for Spring Thunderstorms

Get prepared for spring storms with these steps to reduce damage to your home

According to the National Storms Laboratory, a thunderstorm is a rain shower during which you hear thunder. Since thunder comes from lightning, all thunderstorms have lightning.

Thunderstorms are most likely in the spring and summer months and during the afternoon and evening hours, but they can occur year-round and at all hours. Along the Gulf Coast and across the southeastern and western states, most thunderstorms occur during the afternoon. Thunderstorms frequently occur in the late afternoon and at night in the Plains states.

Take these steps now to prepare for spring:

• STEP 1

  Trim your trees

  Overview

  Keeping healthy trees trimmed and pruned can help reduce risks from falling limbs. If your property has dead or diseased trees or other vegetation you'll want to remove them as well.
  
  Helpful tips:

  • Remove branches that overhang on your roof or gutters.

  • Trim the bottom of trees so that all branches are at least six feet from the ground and at least three times higher than any nearby shrubs.

  • Trim upper branches of trees to ensure they are at least 10 feet away from branches of neighboring trees.

  • Work with your neighbor to address trees near your property line that affect both properties.

• STEP 2

  Get a lightning surge protector

  Overview

  Power outages and electrical surges are quite common during and after tornadoes and can cause damage to your home’s appliances and electronic equipment.

  
  A home lightning surge protector can help keep your electrical equipment safe from power surge by detecting the excess current and safely diverting it through your home’s grounding path.
  
  Helpful tips:

  • Purchase and install a home surge protector. Surge protectors can be bought from any hardware or home improvement store. You may want hire an electrician to install.

  • Surge protectors come in a range of joule ratings (a measure of energy that is released over a period of time). In general, a surge protector with at least 1,000 joules is sufficient for a home with multiple computers and audio/video equipment.

• STEP 3

  Install protective screens on HVAC units

  Overview

  Your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit sits outside in the elements 24/7, making it susceptible to debris and hail damage during severe weather.
  
  The condenser coil and fins can become damaged and bent together from hail strikes. This can restrict airflow and break the unit altogether. Install protective screens to prevent this kind of hail damage.
  
  Helpful tips:

  • Install screens around your home’s air conditioning unit to help reduce the chance of hail damage to coils and fins.

  • Heavy duty screens made specifically for protecting HVAC units can be purchased from a home improvement store. They are sometimes referred to as “hail guards.” If you don’t feel comfortable installing screens yourself, you can contact a local HVAC service company.

• STEP 4

  Upgrade to steel gutters and downspouts

  Overview

  Strong winds, hail, and flying debris from a tornado can cause substantial damage your home’s gutters. In some instances, gutters can be torn completely off.
  
  Steel products are more durable against wind and hail and are less likely to leak than vinyl and aluminum, making them the perfect choice when replacing gutters and downspouts.
  
  Helpful tips:

  •  If you live in a hail-prone area, consider upgrading your gutters to steel, which is more durable than vinyl or aluminum.

  • Contact a local gutter company for a price quote for a new steel gutter system.

  • You can find a qualified professional on Angi by clicking here. They check pros' qualifications, get reviews from homeowners, and have a variety of pros in 500+ categories of service.

• STEP 5

  Select a wind-rated garage door

  Overview

  Garage doors are one of the most vulnerable parts of the home in high winds.
  
  High winds can push a garage door inward, allowing pressure to push up on the roof and surrounding walls and damage your home. Wind-rated garage doors have been tested to withstand these pressures and can help protect your home. If you’re not sure whether your garage door is wind-rated, it’s best to purchase a new one that is. If replacing your garage door is not possible, there are ways to reinforce your garage door temporarily with a brace.
  
  You should have your garage door serviced at least once a year. Maintenance like tightening screw and bolts will prolong the life of your garage door and ensure it’s in proper working condition.
  
  Helpful tips:

  • Determine whether your current garage door is wind-rated.

  • Request a quote for an installation from a professional garage door service company.

  • You can find a qualified professional on Angi. They check pros' qualifications, get reviews from homeowners, and have a variety of pros in 500+ categories of service.

• STEP 6

  Upgrade to Good or Excellent impact-rated shingles based on IBHS Testing

  Overview

  Replace your shingles on time―and with the right product―to keep your home protected 24/7.
  
  Your roof is your home’s first line of defense against severe weather. Consider shingles rated Good or Excellent by IBHS.
  
  Shingles add more than just architectural detail; they are critical to protecting your home against hail. See IBHS shingle performance ratings.
  
  These high-performing shingles also meet the UL Class 4 impact-rated standard, which may qualify you for an insurance discount. Give us a call!

Compliments of Safeco Insurance

Dan Zeiler

dan@zeiler.com

877-597-5900 x134