Like A Fort: Preparations Ready For Damage Control

On the one hand, you have a home that makes you feel like you’re welcome and allows you to relax. And on the other, it’s a place on earth that you will defend as being your only true place of safety and comfort. It’s actually quite a human duality then because we are emotional and we are also logical. The home is no different as it’s basically a reflection of who we are too. On the inside, we have our own artistic impressions of what life should be. We have pillows, cushions, carpets, and figurines that are just some of the things that reflect our tastes. On the outside we have the walls made out of brick, protecting us from the elements. You get a warm fuzzy feeling when you are sat inside a comfortable home, watching the outside world be pelted with rain and snow. Simple moments like that you really appreciate the vassal the home provides as well as the protection. It’s kind of like your own fort, and just like an actual castle, you need to have preparations ready to tackle any unwarranted damage.

Take cover

Mother nature is merciless at times, and you can really feel her wrath when giant gusts of wind batter your home. You can hear an eerie whistling throughout the home as the air trapped inside crevices is forced out at speed. A wind that shoots through your attic and through your windows in the gaps can make you realize you’re not that far from danger. Suffering wind damage to your home is not one of the worst things nature can do but it’s certainly very costly. Is there much you can do to stop things from falling or hitting your home? Maybe, but the preparations you make should be for after the winds have died down.

You should store in your garage or somewhere you have a lot of room, large and thick tarps. This is so if a window is broken, you have the ability to put something over the gap and stop the wind from blustering in or essentially keep heat inside. A portable heater is a great idea to keep around in the home. If heating should ever shut off due to pipes being broken, you always have a heat source close to you. They can also run off generators as long as you have a plug that can be fitted to them. Some extra shingles kept in storage would also be a great idea, as roofs are usually the part of the home that takes the biggest beating. Any gaps or damage in the roof can be temporarily covered over with the shingles. This also stops rainwaters from entering your attic and causing the wood to fail.

Addressing the volume

Floods are something that destroys homes, from the inside out. Brick walls or even hardwood being smothered by water isn’t the biggest issue. The problem occurs when you allow the water inside your home. Just like our bodies, homes have a tough exterior, but if damage happens to the underbelly, i.e. the inside, that’s when you’re in trouble. If you do one thing at all, you must load up on sandbags. They’re quite simple and easy to make but you can always buy them. They are simple but incredibly effective against a mass volume of water heading toward your front and back doors. Again, store them in the garage and keep sharp objects away from them as piercing the bag will compromise the sand inside. There are many ways to prevent costly home water damage, and sometimes the experts do know better than the average joe. Take a picture of any damage first, and write down in detail where the damage is and what it could possibly mean for the rest of the structure. Move any dangerous and vulnerable things away from the entrance of the homes. Sofas, TVs, computers, and anything of sentimental value such as photos should all be moved into the center of the room. Don’t try to pick at the rotting wood, especially door frames. They are connected to the metal and brick that is keeping the archways upright and preventing them from collapse.

When our homes are damaged by natural events, we feel a loss financially and emotionally. Although nature is very powerful, it’s not like you have to surrender, there are things you can do to prevent damage. However, this means, having enough storage space to keep provisions and preparations always at the ready, just in case. Wind damage isn’t as bad as water damage but it’s something that happens more frequently, so don’t overlook it.