When you have a home, it’s always important to think about how you’re going to keep that home safe and secure. Learning more about Mother nature is one element of ensuring that you do. Many people don’t think about it very often, but natural disasters are one of the most terrifying elements of homeownership. Natural disasters cause all sorts of problems. As a homeowner, here’s what you need to know about weather damage in and around your home.
The 10 Most Damaging Weather Events in the United States in the Last 10 Years
Taking a look at damaging weather events may be the most important thing to do first off. That way, you can really get an idea of how absolutely terrifying Mother nature can truly be. Even just in the last 10 years, there have been a variety of incredibly damaging weather events. That includes all of these:
- Hurricane Harvey – $131 Billion – 2017 – Texas
- Hurricane Maria – $95 Billion – 2017 – Puerto Rico
- Hurricane Sandy – $74 Billion – 2012 – Northeast United States
- Hurricane Irma – $52 Billion – 2017 – Florida
- Heat Wave and Drought – $32 Billion – 2020 – United States Nationwide
- Hurricane Michael – $26 Billion – 2018 – Florida
- Western Wildfires – $25 Billion – 2018 – California
- Hurricane Florence – $25 Billion – 2018 – North and South Carolina
- Western Wildfires – $19 Billion – 2017 – California
- Hurricane Irene – $16 Billion – 2011 – Mid-Atlantic Coast
These 10 weather events have caused a combined billions of dollars of property damage. However, the most important thing to think about is actually the fact that these problems all tend to fall into two categories: hurricanes and heat-related problems. If you live in an area that’s prone to one or the other, make sure you keep an eye out.
Weather-Related Damage Impacting American Homeowners
What types of weather-related damage are actually the most significant? The good news is that there are actually specific types of weather-related damage that tend to cause damage for homeowners in America. Here are a few of the reasons that you might end up with weather-related damage in your home.
- Drought – Landscaping Damage and Forest Fires
- Lightning – Home Fires and Electrical Damage
- Water – Flood Damage on Both the Interior and the Infrastructure
- High Winds – Structural and Foundational Damage
- Hail – Roof and Window Damage
As you can see, high winds can cause both lowkey concerns and very serious concerns. This is why it’s a good idea to take your home’s problem seriously, because not taking the problem seriously will often lead to other problems. These high winds tend to account for, on average, around a quarter of all homeowner’s insurance claims.
What Can You Use to Protect Your Home From Extreme Weather?
Protecting your home from extreme weather is itself often a challenge. The good news is that there are a number of things that you can do to keep your home safe and sound. Here are a few top options to keep your home safe and sound during extreme weather:
- Sump Pump With Backup Battery
- Windproofing With Roof and Window Upgrades
- Hurricane Shutters
- Fire Resistant Planting Materials
- Flood Prevention With Home Retrofitting
- Home Maintenance
- Waterproofing With Proper Insulation
- HVAC System Service
- Smoke Detector Testing and Maintenance
- Foundation Inspections
As you can see, many of these avoidance processes start much earlier than the weather itself starts. That’s because prevention is much, much more effective than trying to stem the flow of whatever you’re looking at on your own.
Conclusion
Extreme weather is one of those things that tends to cause a lot of problems, but that most people don’t really know a whole lot about. If you’re experiencing issues with extreme weather, make sure you talk to a crawl space or basement repair expert to ensure that your home’s basement or crawl space has no recurring problems with it.