Summary:
- Exterior doors should be made of dent-resistant materials.
- Building window shutters onto the exterior wall can help minimize damage.
- Preventative roof maintenance, such as inspecting for damaged shingles, can help protect your roof.
- Landscaping around your home can protect it from falling trees and branches during a storm.
- Upgrading to impact-resistant materials can reduce damage potential.
Summer weather can really do a number on your home. Stormy summer weather in Calgary can almost knock your house down- especially when the currents hit us hard as they steamroll over the rocky mountains.
By the time summer rolls around, Calgarians are ready to spend time on the patio enjoying the rays. However, as you know, Calgary’s summers are prone to hailstorms.
It’s a useful skill to know how to assess your home for damage after a hailstorm, but just as important is learning ways and means to protect the most vulnerable parts of your home during the storm. The more damage limitation you can do, the better shape your house will be in once the storms pass.
So, let’s check out our five ways to reduce hail damage and keep from making expensive repairs to the house!
Exterior & Garage Doors
Choose materials for your exterior doors that are dent resistant. While the winds and hail may not knock your door down (we hope!), they can sure do a number on the aesthetic of your home.
Some materials, such as hardwood and durable steel, are much better at resisting dings and dents, than lighter and more economical options. If your exterior doors are known to take a pummeling during the hail, consider upgrading to dent-resistant options- you’ll love knowing that dented doors are one problem you’ll never have to address again.
Windows
Windows can be more vulnerable to damage from hail stones than any other facet of the house. One solution for minimising the damage is to build window shutters onto the exterior wall; while such shutters have a reputation for being an eyesore (or even garish) they can be designed tastefully, and offer an impenetrable barrier to hail over winter. You could even install them only for the winter months, and they could help lock in heat.
Preventative Roof Maintenance
The biggest threat to your roof is already-damaged, aged or worn tiles, leaving gaps to the vulnerable surface beneath. What you should try to do during the warmer months is to take a trip up to the roof (or get someone to go for you) and inspect the battlefield: are any shingles missing or damaged? Any major defects or poor maintenance in general? Report these problems to your insurance provider and get everything up to scratch for next winter.
Of course, we’re advocates for hiring roofing professionals (like us) vs. DIY.
Landscaping of Trees and Bushes
The kind of hail which threatens your house usually means high winds as well, and this combination can turn the trees, shrubs and bushes on your property against you. Make sure to trim bushes and remove larger branches or even whole trees which could fall into or towards your home during a storm. By landscaping the area around the house, you can protect the house itself.
We all remember the incredible “winterpocalypse” that took place in September 2015. The City of Calgary is still recuperating from that one. Don’t make your home a victim during the next one- take steps to protect your home now!
Impact-Resistant Materials
Whether it’s your roofing shingles, windows or the front door, you can always upgrade the material quality. Of course it’s a more expensive option, but by introducing impact-resistant materials to the highest-risk areas, you virtually snuff out the damage potential.
Remember that during a severe hail storm, the most important thing is always to protect yourself and your family. Do what you can for the house, but never at the risk of your own health. Don’t be like this guy:
