Batten down the hatches! Stormy weather could strike suddenly even in the warmer months.

As climate change starts to take effect and more dramatic weather patterns emerge, It is wise to safeguard your home by working through quick DIY Home Inspection, preparation and maintenance checklist to safeguard your home 

Use our practical checklist below to help you prepare for the onset of sudden storms or even hurricanes.

Let’s start from the outside in:

Start with an Exterior Inspection of the Building

Secure and Maintain your Roof

• Inspect your roof for vulnerabilities and damage such as missing, loose or damaged shingles that could allow water to penetrate and cause leaks.
• A stress check would be worthwhile to ensure your roofing materials can withstand strong winds.
• Set about replacing loose or damaged shingles as soon as you can

Do a Chimney Inspection

• Ensure your chimney is intact with no cracks or loose bricks exposed.
• Consider installing a chimney cap to prevent excessive water from entering. This will also serve to help insulate your home from drafts.

Clear Gutters and Downspouts

• Check your gutters for potential fissures, cracks, holes and leaks
• Clear your gutters and downspouts after every winter to prevent potential buildup of leaves, twigs, and any other debris to ensure water can flow freely should it rain down in torrents. We’ve even put together a more detailed “ Guide to Getting That Guttering Cleared And Cleaned” in our blog!
• Ensure your gutters and external pipes are securely fastened and attached to the building to handle the sudden increased tension or strain from heavy gusts and winds.

Check Windows and Doors and Insulate

Check and upgrade any seals and add weather stripping to maintain warmth and prevent cold drafts from seeping in.  If there are huge gaps, water could also seep in during heavy stormy rain.

• Check for and seal any gaps or cracks around windows and doors to prevent water ingress and drafts.
• Inspect Flashing on all your windows including roof skylights. Ensure the flashing around all your windows and doors is intact and in good condition. Replace where needed.

Seal and Secure Exterior Walls

• Inspect Siding – Siding is your first line of defense against most exterior elements that could compromise a structure. It is the protective material attached to the exterior side of a wall of a house or other building. Look for any damage or cracks in the siding that could allow water to enter.
• Check if the paint is peeling or blistering.
• Repaint with the correct protective exterior paint to maintain waterproofing and aesthetics. There are advanced water-based formulas that will seal porous surfaces, lock out stains and provide superior stain blocking and adhesion.

Check your Surrounding Property

Check Drainage Systems

• Ensure all the exterior drains are clear of obstructions and can carry water away from the house effectively.
• Inspect the drainage in your wider landscaping and rectify potential hazards if necessary. Ensure the ground slopes away from your foundation to prevent water pooling.
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Remove Vulnerable Trees and Branches

It’s also essential to check outdoors for potential hazards, such as loose debris or tree branches, that could cause damage during a storm

• Prune any vulnerable trees to prevent breakage and falling branches that can sustain damage from heavy snowfall. This is especially critical if the foliage is close enough to damage your roof or fall through a window if struck down.
• If you suspect a tree might be susceptible to falling, you may want to call in expert tree surgeons or alert the city council (if the tree is outside your property but close by).

Check Perimeter Walls

• Check your perimeter walls for major cracks that could be exacerbated during freezing weather and fill these in. Look out for suspicious bulges or loose panels or blocks that could be susceptible to breaking away if subject to strong winds and rain.

Secure Outdoor Furniture and Remove Decorations

• Lighter furniture and outdoor items like trampolines, bins and lightweight playground furniture should really be tied down or stored in a shed or garage. These items can be blown metres into the air during heavy storm gusts and risk crashing down into your property or surrounding properties, inflicting further damage.
• Invest in the right covers to protect them against rust

Secure your Shed

• If your shed structure is made from a lightweight material or is old with loose or broken panels, be sure to repair what you can
• Reinforce the shed door and roof if there is any risk that a sudden gust could blow this off. Your shed may contain sharp metal objects that could be dislodged if exposed to sudden heavy gusts.

A Top to Top-to-Bottom Interior Inspection

Check your Attic and Insulation:

• Check your attic to ensure sufficient insulation to keep the house warm and prevent ice dams on the roof. Inspect for internal leaks that could lead to water damage when ice melts outside on your roof.

Our blog also provides more detail on how to take better care of your attic space and includes a checklist for an attic upgrade: How to Attack Your Attic, Clear It, Clean It, and Win!

Check your Basement and Foundation

If you have an accessible basement and crawl spaces under the house,

• Check for drafts and insulate pipes to prevent bursting.
• Inspect for cracks in your foundation and any signs of cracks or weaknesses in the foundation that could be exacerbated by heavy rain.

Mind your Plumbing

Ensure heating systems work well to maintain a warm indoor temperature.

Ask for a Boiler Check

• A failed boiler is the last thing you want to grapple with during a cold snap when a hot water supply is essential, particularly in homes dependent on central heating. If it has been long since the last one, ensure you get your boiler checked and serviced.

Invest in Pipe Insulation:

• Take measures to insulate water pipes to prevent potential bursts from impacting the building.

Electrical Checks – Prepare for a Blackout or Power Outage

Prepare for a blackout by stocking up on accessories and supplies that will see you through a power outage, such as flashlights, candles, and batteries.

Electrical Systems Risk Assessment

• Safety Checks: Ensure all outdoor electrical systems are protected by a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI).
• Invest in Surge Protection. Consider surge protectors for electrical appliances inside the home.

Prepare Emergency Heating Options:

• Consider investing in back-up heating options such as portable heaters, and ensure you have sufficient fuel.
• Stock up on wood fuel for your fireplace or stove in the event of an electrical failure that may affect your heating system or any failure in your energy supply.

A Stash of Alternative Light Sources.

• Stock up on alternative light sources such as battery-powered lanterns, candles (with matches or lighters), and solar-powered lights. Installing solar-powered lights in your outdoor areas will also be a good safety investment in a blackout.
• If using a stock of candles, be sure to use them safely, especially in the company of young children, to prevent fire hazards.

Backup Power for your Devices

• You will have to use your phone in an emergency, so invest in a portable with at least four charges available.
• You can even source larger solar-powered batteries as backup for larger devices like laptops.

Documents Secured?

• In case of flooding keep important documents in a waterproof container on the second level of the house if you have one or in an elevated shelved location
• Don’t forget to Review your insurance policy and know where it is kept. Ensure your home insurance is up to date and covers storm-related damages.

Your Storm-Ready DIY Shopping List

Stock up on

• Emergency first-aid kits
• Include a stock of flashlight, batteries, water, and non-perishable food.
• Roof Repair Tools, including Roof rakes
• Protective Weatherproof Exterior Paint – check our Exterior Paint Catalogue for the latest options in primer and sealer too.
• Gutter Accessories: Heated gutter guards, downspout extensions
• Evo-Stik Lead and Gutter Silicone Sealant – a tough, flexible and highly waterproof material that will bond to most building materials without the use of a primer. It gives excellent adhesion to most common building substrates, such as lead/anodised and mill finish metals/painted steel/cast iron/brick/tile/slate/timber, and most plastics. It is also ideal for use in exterior high movement joints which are exposed to the extremes of weather. The sealant is water, weather and UV resistant.
  
  
  
  
• Strips and draft excluders
• Window and Door Insulation supplies and accessories such as Thermal curtains, draft stoppers, and weather-stripping.
• Invest in supplies for your Insulation Upgrades: Insulation rolls, foam sealants, and pipe insulation.
  
  
• We have an excellent selection of Pipe Lagging at Homevlaue.ie. Products such as the Class O insulation tube from Climaflex effectively reduce heat loss from your pipework. It is made from a CFC-free compact and closed-cell polyethene foam, which ensures superior durability and provides long-lasting protection from moisture, corrosion, and water damage. Combined with the Class O rating, this offers maximum heat retention and energy efficiency.
  
  
  • Heating System Maintenance supplies such as filters for furnaces, portable heaters, and fuel cans.
  • Install anti-slip surfaces on outdoor steps and patio areas. Our Trojan Gripdex anti-slip products are the answer for dealing with slippery decking and concrete steps! Simply glue or screw it into place in a directional walkway for a safer grip in snow and icy conditions.
    
    
  Consider stocking up on a solid multi-purpose Polypropylene Blue Rope to secure outdoor structures and equipment.
  
  
  

  Use this Opportunity Well

  Start the year off on the right footing by using this opportunity to enhance the safety and security of your home for the year ahead.

  Use the urgency of the Stormy season to expedite essential repairs and measures you may have been holding off for some time as it is evident that more extreme weather is likely to be the norm in Ireland.