So we've already had our first tropical depression of the 2022 season here in SW Florida (although this was the first time in six years we hadn't had a named storm before the season actually started on June 1st). That must mean it's time to think about storm proofing our homes once again. Apart from the usual defensive measures we take to prevent storm damage, here are some additional measures you may not have thought of.
One important thing that you can do is inspect any trees on your property before storm season, and again in the fall to make sure that there aren’t any dead or damaged limbs that could break under pressure. Getting these removed will not only make your trees look better, but will also help protect against home damage or injury from falling limbs. If your home is on a downward slope or located in a low area, you might also consider installing French drains to reroute water away from your foundation. Depending on how the French drains are set up and where they drain to, this can move a significant amount of water away from your home during a storm.
Upgrading Your Defenses
If you’re considering home improvements, there are a few options you might consider. Because thunderstorms are common here during the summer, installing a lightning rod or other lighting protection components can be a good idea. You also might want to get transient voltage surge suppressors to plug high-value electronics such as computers and televisions into as well, since these help to limit voltage to 1.5 times the normal voltage range. While this is still higher voltage than these devices are used to, they are much more likely to survive without damage compared to the significant amount of voltage they might experience during a lightning strike surge. FPL can provide these for you for a nominal monthly "charge."
Other improvements you can make to better protect you during a storm include installing storm windows instead of storm shutters and sealing your roof tiles so high winds can't lift them. Our last big storm - Irma in 2017 - damaged many roofs by blowing the tiles off. This led to some very expensive roof replacements, as roofers claimed they couldn't match older missing tiles because those lots weren't being manufactured anymore.
Review Your Policies
One last thing that you might want to do is look over your homeowner’s insurance and any other insurance policies you have for your property to see exactly what is and isn’t covered regarding storm damage. Flood damage commonly isn’t covered by standard policies, and depending on where you live there may be other storm-related exclusions as well. You definitely don’t want to wind up surprised at your coverage level if you have to make a storm-related claim. If you need help finding a qualified, reliable insurance agent, find a realtor who can help you. We deal with insurance companies in many capacities and have experience determining who the good ones are.
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