4 Tips To Get Your Home Prepared for Storms

Posted by on Monday, August 17th, 2015 at 5:17pm.

Today we got an alert through Omaha.com's Twitter accoutn saying rainstorms are in the forecast for the next couple of days.

That got us thinking, "What can we do to make sure our homes are prepared for thunderstorms and heavy rain?"

 

So, we did a little research on a couple of our favorite home improvement sites and came up with this great list of things you can do to prep your house for heavy weather. Some of these tips are pretty technical, but well worth a read in light of any future repairs or upgrades you want to make to you home.
 

Ring-Shank Nails Are Tough Customers

This tip comes by way of beloved home improvement boss Bob Vila. Nails with ring shanks differ from the nails most of us are used to. They have a spiraled shank that grips into your roof with a lot of stubbornness and stick. According to Vila, ring shanks provide 50-100 percent more holding power than a nail with a smooth shank.
 


Vila recommends that, when you're nailing in the ring shanks, space them six inches apart. Also, if you're going to install your own roof, use high-quality underlayment. In the event that your shingles or tiles fly off during a mean storm, a top-quality underlayment can curb a lot of damage that would happen if you went with a cheaper, less sturdy option. 
 

Do the Walk-Around

Sometimes we get so busy thinking about major structural issues that we forget about the small things. Nasty winds can whip up a frenzy of lawn furniture that can, in some cases, turn into some pretty dangerous flying objects.
 


In advance of a forecast storm, grab a notebook and take a walk around your property and write down things you think could be a potential danger during a bad storm.

Keep the list until the day of the storm and use it as a reference to move lawn furniture, umbrellas, flower pots and other things to a safe location where they won't get blown to bits from gusts and downpours. 
 

Trim Hedges, Inspect Trees

With high winds come the possibility that your shrubs or your trees may lose a limb and cause some serious damage to windows, siding and other important parts of you home. 
 


Give yourself some time before the storm comes to take a quick look at the shrubs and trees on your property. Dead shrubs and trees should be (if possible) uprooted. Rain-soaked earth can become unstable, a soil condition that dead trees literally cannot stand. Save yourself the surprise of a broken window and more by maintaining your property's greenery.

 

Use Impact-Rated Windows

While the historical statistics may show that Omaha has only two tornadoes per year, that doesn't mean the city doesn't deal with non-tornado related wind gusts that can kick up debris and damage windows. That being said, tornadoes tend to be the in the back of our mind. 

Bob Vila recommends that those who want to beef up their window strength should invest in impact-rated windows. There are several dealers in the Omaha area who have various options for these tough windows. They tend to be pretty expensive and they're most often featured on the East Coast. However, they can provide Omaha homeowners with peace of mind when storm season ramps up. 

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