Storm Boelo is hitting the UK – 5 tips for storm-proofing your house
How to storm-proof your home during the UK storm season
We’ve come to that point in the year where we start to get hit by awful weather and continuous storms – at least that’s currently the case in the UK. Over the past week, the UK has been hit by two storms in a row, starting with Storm Austen and moving into Storm Boelo.
It goes without saying but Storm Boelo has caused quite a lot of damage, both inside and outside of the house. During last year’s UK storm season, I covered how to storm-proof your garden, including securing furniture, trimming trees and covering plants, but in this guide, I’ll be sharing tips on how to storm-proof your house.
From clearing your gutters to charging your torches, here are five things you should do to take care of your home during a storm.
1. Charge or replace the batteries in your torches
Severe storms, like Storm Boelo, can cut the power to your home, leaving you stumbling around in the dark. To avoid any accidents during a black out, make sure you have a torch on hand. Most importantly, check that your torch is fully charged or has a new set of batteries – I’ve been caught out by this too many times!
2. Clear your gutters
During times of heavy rain and wind, your gutters and pipes can get clogged. Not only does this cause them to overflow, but it can also increase the risk of water damage to your home, like leaks, rotting, mould and structural issues of your walls or foundation. To prevent this, check your gutters before a storm hits, and clear it of any leaves, dirt and other debris. If there are any bigger issues with your gutters, call in a professional.
3. Check your roof
Another thing to check before a storm hits – and the most important thing to be secure on your home – is your roof. Over time, roof tiles can become cracked, loose or moss covered, and strong wings take advantage of that by dislodging them and sending them flying into your home.
Before a storm really hits, check your roof for these issues so you can get cracks repaired, and so you can remove moss with a brush. If your roof has any chimneys or skylights, it’s best to check their sealing as if there are any gaps, this can cause rain and debris to get into your home. Again, call a professional to fix your roof if you notice any of these problems.
4. Seal your doors and windows
An easy way to stop the storm from getting into your home is by sealing your doors, windows and any draught spots. This can be easily done by simply locking them up, and covering draughts with draught excluders. However, if you notice any issues with your door or window seals, you can get metal or rubber weatherstripping seals to install around their frames or edges.
5. Make an emergency kit – just in case!
This might sound dramatic but you never know what will happen in a storm, so it’s always best to be prepared. To make an emergency storm kit, I’d suggest packing a torch, first aid kit, power bank, water bottles, non-perishable food and blankets. If it gets to the extreme, make sure to pack important documents, too.
