During severe weather, your house may have to withstand snow, heavy rains, and other punishing storms. However, anticipating bad weather and preparing for it is a great way to make sure your home and family are kept safe. If you’re stuck on how to quickly weatherproof your building, or just need new ideas on how to do this, here are five ways to make sure your home is ready for the harsher seasons.

Steps to weatherproof your building

1. Have your windows replaced

You’ll need to have your windows repaired once you start to notice air leaks, a spike in your electricity bill, and rot in your window frames. This is important to weatherproof your building. To have proper window repairs and installation done, hire professionals like the team at All Weather Seal of West Michigan. With over 30 years of experience providing excellent window installation services, you can trust that their well-trained contractors will be able to meet all of your needs.

They service the West Michigan area and are a Better Business Bureau (BBB) accredited business. They are also a fully licensed and insured contractor. To receive a free estimate or to schedule an appointment, contact All Weather Seal today via their website and receive a free estimate.

2. Ensure all your backyard furniture is secured

Besides improving your home’s curb appeal, your retractable awning was purchased for protection from direct sunlight, UV rays, and moisture. Retractable awnings are not built to withstand harsh weather conditions. It’s a great way to weatherproof your building. Knowing this, your new retractable awning should never be exposed to snow, wind, or harsh rain.

Overexposure to the elements diminishes the durability of your awning’s fabric, and in some cases, the additional weight from snow or hail could make your canvas awning sag. To maintain a long-lasting awning, always retract it when you expect bad weather. Additionally, do not retract your awning when the fabric is wet as this creates an environment that encourages the growth of mildew and mold.

If you’re looking for retractable awnings in Columbus Ohio, Marygrove Awnings has been the go-to retractable awnings company for the past 80 years. Serving the New Jersey, Ohio, Michigan, and Illinois areas, call Marygrove to schedule an appointment and get a free estimate on your next awning purchase.

3. Check your roof for potential damages

Ensure your downpipes, drains, and gutters are cleaned regularly to prevent a blocked drainage system. It’s a great way to weatherproof your building. When left untended, your gutters can become a receptacle for sticks, plant debris, and other filth. If left in this state during rainy weather, your downpipes could clog up. resulting in an overflowed gutter. This overflow can cause water damage to the side of your house. To avoid all this, schedule a routine roof inspection and ensure that your gutters are cleaned regularly.

4. Ensure your plumbing is insulated

Cold weather can be harsh on your indoor plumbing, more so when temperatures reflect in the negative. To avoid dealing with broken or frozen water pipes, make sure that your indoor plumbing is insulated to weatherproof your building. Tubular-sleeve insulation will help you become energy efficient by ensuring that your cold pipes don’t freeze over or break. Your hot water pipes will also be protected from thermal loss.

5. Do some yard work

Rake up all the dead leaves and twigs from your lawn. This is important to weatherproof your building because when left unattended, dying limbs from trees can take flight during a tornado or storm and cause damage to your windows and gutters. Next, tie down larger yard mainstays like swings sets and playhouses. This is to avoid high-speed winds from turning these items into flying missiles.

When you prepare your house in advance, the better suited it will be to withstand harsh weather. What’s more, taking the time to prepare your home for harsh weather could save you a lot of money later in contractor fees and home improvement projects.