How to Minimise Storm Damage to Your Property
It’s that time of year when the weather can get a bit ‘interesting’. As if 2020 hasn’t thrown enough at us already, it’s almost certain we’ll see some feisty storms heading our way too. The gale force winds and torrential rain we often see in winter can spell big trouble for anyone responsible for building maintenance. While you can’t completely insure against destructive weather, there are some things you can do to minimise storm damage to your property.
- Have a flood resistance plan. Flooding has become a regular and hugely destructive problem over recent years. In extreme circumstances, your efforts might not be enough. But there are some things that may help, like keeping guttering and ground drains clear of debris, covering ventilation bricks and having a supply of sandbags or other flood barriers handy to help keep water from seeping in through entrances. If you‘re worried about flooding, you can follow these links to sign up for flood warnings in England, Wales and Scotland.
- Check your roof. Strong winds and heavy rain can wreak havoc on a badly maintained roof. Those loose tiles or that split flashing could be the reason you end up with half the roof in the car park and a water-damaged interior to fix. Fill all gaps and batten down anything that isn’t secure. And don’t forget about checking things like aerials and satellite dishes. If they’re a bit wobbly beforehand, they’ll be in much worse shape after a storm has done its worst.
- Treat your timber. It might be more of a ‘slow burn’ form of storm damage but timber can fare badly under repeated attack from winter weather. So make sure any wooden surfaces are well-protected with the right treatments. If you live in a particularly wet or salty area, you might want to think about switching any timber frames to UPVC in the long run.
- Protect your pipes. Winter storms can also cause a severe drop in temperature, so check your lagging and make sure you keep the heating at a sensible level to avoid the nightmare of frozen and burst pipes.
- Check around your property. Anything that isn’t secured around the property can cause damage to the building itself if the wind is feisty enough. Watch out for rogue branches, rickety fences, exterior furniture, refuse bins – anything that could fly around in the wind or collapse under heavy ice, snow or rain. If your doors and windows have shutters, the calm before the storm is the perfect time to use them.
Get winter-ready with commercial property maintenance contractors you can trust
As the Scouts would say, you should always be prepared. Taking a few preventative measures before bad weather hits might not eliminate the risk, but it could seriously reduce your storm damage repair bill.
If you want some help to get your property ‘storm-ready’, give our commercial property maintenance team a call on 01269 841416. From roofing and drainage to groundwork and plumbing, we’ve got over 30 years of expertise in making sure your property stays in great shape.
Our services are available to customers along the M4 corridor, including the Swansea, Cardiff, Newport, Bristol, Reading and London areas.
