4 Ways to Protect Your Home from Severe Kansas Weather

Every year during the spring and summer, Kansas experiences severe weather conditions like extreme temperatures, dangerous storms, high winds and flooding. Weather like this can wreak havoc on your home. When the time comes this season, will your home be prepared to weather the storm?

Make Your Home Wind Resistant

Kansas knows all about high winds. Wind damage accounts for a large portion of property damage in this state, but what can be done about it?

The answer is to make your home more resistant to impact by using windproofing methods that shield your home from damage. Homes with gabled roofs can benefit from truss bracing to help strengthen their structure from strong windstorms. Another method is to install impact-resistant windows and doors around your home. They will help seal your home from high winds and minimize any damage. They also have the added benefits of discounts on homeowners insurance, reducing the outside noise level and keeping energy costs down throughout the year.

It’s also important to keep your yard wind-proof. Keeping your trees well maintained to prevent limbs from falling and securing any yard items like outdoor furniture, trash dumpsters and garden elements will help minimize damage to your home’s exterior in a wind storm.

Flood-Proof Your Home

Floods cause expensive damage to many Kansas homes every year. When water penetrates your home’s outer defenses, it brings with it a multitude of problems that are expensive to fix. That is why it’s important to flood-proof your home with a flooding retrofit to keep water out.

Dry flood-proofing and wet flood-proofing are the two types of flooding retrofits you can use. If you’re unsure which to use, consult your local regulatory guidelines and your flood insurance agent for help.

Dry flood-proofing involves making the portion of your home that sits below flood level water tight using concrete or other materials so it can withstand floodwaters for at least 3 days. This will not bring a previously water-damaged structure into compliance, but adding watertight barriers will reduce the chances of water damage in the future. Read more from the FEMA website.

Wet flood-proofing involves taking steps to minimize damage to the interior of a home when flooding does occur and the home takes in water. This is the least expensive option and can be done in stages rather than all at once. Making small modifications like elevating outlets and appliances, building mini floodwalls around important or sensitive equipment or setting them on plastic sheeting that can be pulled up around them when floods occur are some of the ways wet flood-proofing work. Read more from the FEMA website.

Don’t forget to do important preventative maintenance as well. Cleaning out your gutters regularly, sealing leaks and routine inspections are just as important to keeping flooding from being a major hassle and expense.

Get a Cool Roof

Did you know the color of your roof could be driving you summer energy cost higher? If your roof has darker shingles, it traps heat and increases the expense of cooling your home during warmer months.

When you install roofing shingles with lighter colors, your roof and home will stay much cooler as the heat from sunlight is reflected away. Keeping your roof cooler has the additional benefit of extending the life of your roof as well.

If you already have dark shingles on your roof, you can apply a cool roof coating to achieve the same effect. This coating is a like a thick white paint that is perfect for different roofing types. It also adds the benefits of water protection to your roof surface.

If you still want the option of having a darker roof color, you can install cool-colored roof tiles. They are available in a wide variety of shades and do the same job of reflecting the sun away from your home and lowering your energy bills in the spring and summer.

Install a Standby Generator

When severe weather strikes, your home could lose power for hours, days or who knows how long? Blackouts have been on the rise in recent years and you can’t afford for your home to be without power for any extended period of time.

This is why it’s a great idea to install a standby propane or natural gas generator. It’s one of those items you never knew you needed until you need it. In the event of a blackout, you’ll be able to run essential items like your central air, sump pump and appliances. The standby generator is wired to your electrical system and restores power quickly. Alternatively, a cheaper option is a portable propane or gas-powered generator which will be able to keep a few of the essential items powered in an emergency.

If you’d like to make your home more severe-weather ready, call us at 316-685-1700 for a free consultation.