Are you thinking about completing some home improvement on your property? If so, then it’s worth keeping in mind the worst-case scenarios. You need to consider the most significant issues that could hit your home. This could be anything from a horrific hurricane to a terrible theft.
Your home is more vulnerable than you think. Whether it’s bad weather, a potential intruder or even a fire, you have to prepare for the worst and hope for the best when you complete work on your home. So, let’s explore some of the situations you can face and explore how to get your home ready for anything.
Make Sure You Have Insurance
One of the easiest ways to protect your home or at least yourself financially is to set up the right insurance plan. There are a variety of options available here. For instance, you can think about protecting your property against the issue of fire and theft. If you do suffer a break-in, you could lose a lot. On average, homeowners lose close to $3000 dollars during the typical breakin. That might not seem like a massive amount of money, but it certainly won’t fit into your monthly budget. With the right insurance plan in place, it won’t need to. Instead, you’ll be completely covered.
Protecting your home from an issue like a storm is a little more tricky. You’ll find there are various insurance plans that do not include certain forms of storm damage. This can be devastating when your home is hit by a storm and you realize that the company is not going to payout.
That’s why you need to make sure that you are aware of all the small print when putting an insurance plan in place. If in doubt, contact the insurance provider directly. They will be able to provide more information on what is and isn’t covered in your plan.
Lights Out
If your home is hit by a storm, there’s a strong possibility it’s going to knock the power out. If you live in a rural area, then you could find that the power remains off for days or even weeks. So, you may want to consider investing in a backup power supply. There are quite a few available on the market so you should be able to find one that fits into your budget.
When you choose a backup generator, make sure that you understand what you want to achieve. Some people will just be keen to keep the fridge and freezers on. However, plenty of others will be eager to make sure that they are able to keep everything from the lights to the laptop switched on. It’s a little more difficult and for that, you will require a more powerful generator.
When exploring generators and emergency power systems, there are a few features to consider. You definitely need to think about reliability. How reliable a system is will determine whether you can trust it to provide the solution that you need in an emergency.
As well as reliability, look at how the system functions. Some systems will require you to switch them on manually. Others will be automatic. This means that when the power goes off a trip switch will ensure that the backup generator turns on automatically. The big benefit here is that you may not even notice a gap in power.
Theft
How many break-ins are there each year? The answer is probably going to shock you. There are about 2.5 million burglaries every year and unfortunately, most of these are domestic. That’s why you need to make sure that your home does have the right security. There is a range of options here from the basic to the more advanced.
There are currently eight million home security systems set up in the US. That’s true, despite the fact that research shows a home is three times more likely to experience a break in if there is no system like this in place.
Home security systems come in a range of different styles and sizes with a variety of features. For instance, you can set up an alarm. This is a great deterrent as an alarm is likely to make a burglar think twice about breaking in. It is, however, important to note that an alarm may not stop the burglary completely.
Another possible option to consider is CCTV. CCTV cameras are a great option as a deterrent because they are clearly visible to the burglar. It’s worth pointing out here that according to interviews with former burglars, most jobs are not planned out. Instead, an area is cased and the homes with the lowest identified forms of security are then targeted for a break-in.
If you are going to set up CCTV, make sure that you do consider the different state laws. Certain states have strict laws on where you can point a CCTV camera. The main point here is that you need permission to record someone else’s land.
Of course, one of the main forms of security that you should certainly invest in is always going to be the right locks and doors. A key mistake here is letting your home fall into a state of disrepair. A door or window that has seen better days is far easier to break through for a potential burglar.
While you may be avoiding the cost of a repair, you could end up losing more money in the long term.
This isn’t the only mistake that you need to avoid with your home security. Education is important here too. You need to make sure that everyone in your family is aware of the potential danger. Basically, it’s important that kids in the home know to keep the doors locked, particularly when they leave the property.
Adults make this mistake a lot too and that’s why 5% of burglaries involve a burglar walking through an unlocked door or slipping through an open window.
You can also consider investing in smart locks. Smart locks are fantastic because you can effectively program exactly who is able to enter the property. You might be worried that this is temperamental however we’re pleased to say that’s not the case. Instead, you can rely on this to work how you want and keep intruders out of your property. It is important to explore reviews before you set up this type of system in your home.
Flooding
If you live in Florida or a state with a similar climate, then it is crucial to be aware of the dangers of flooding. If your home does get flooded, it can cause a lot of damage that you will then need to repair. This can cost you a fortune, so if possible it’s best to avoid the issue completely.
There are a few ways to do this, but the first thing to consider is the problem with a permeability. This is the main reason why a home is going to flood. It all depends on whether the land around your home is permeable or not. If the land is permeable, then it’s going to let water through and ensure that it drains away. Some people have homes that are built on land with low levels of permeability. In a case like this, the water is going to build upon the surface.
Eventually, this will push on the foundations of the home. If you have a basement one of the earliest signs of this is going to be walls that feel wet. It’s a clear sign that you need to consider a waterproofing solution. Companies like DrainWorks Plumbing can provide the solution you need. They will be able to waterproof your basement and ensure that there are no issues with water leaking into your home.
Of course, you can also consider speaking to a landscaper. They can alter the level of permeability that your land provides. This can be another useful step and is well worth considering if your home constantly looks like a swamp.
Hot And Cold Weather
Finally, depending on where your home is, you could have issues with extreme hot and cold weather. If this is a problem, then you need to make sure that you have your AC and heating working effectively. An inefficient AC or heating system can cause serious issues with your energy bills.
You can avoid this issue by ensuring that you are keeping both in fantastic working condition. It’s worth checking both to ensure that there aren’t any issues here. It’s possible and even probable that an issue with AC could also cause problems with the air quality in your home.
We hope this helps you prepare for some of the worst possible issues with your property. Take the right steps and you can make sure that you don’t have to worry about problems with your property causing crippling costs and devastating repairs. You can even make sure that your family is safe from the dangers of a potential break-in or even an environmental nightmare.
