Asses Climate Risks and Protect Your Home
Natural disasters are on the rise across the United States. If you are a new homeowner, here are some tips to help protect your property during extreme weather events, and make it more resilient to climate hazards.
It’s clear that more frequent and intense weather events will have serious consequences for homeowners and future homeowners across the United States. It’s natural that you are becoming more concerned about the climate risk of properties. A 2022 Redfin survey reports that 62% of buyers and sellers say they are reluctant to move somewhere at risk of natural disasters, extreme temperatures, and rising sea levels.
Although it’s impossible to know when and where a current climate disaster may occur, it is possible to assess the risks associated with the property and connect homeowners with information and resources that can help them make informed decisions.
Wildfires
- Clear a space of at least 100 feet around your home and remove dead or dry vegetation and other flammable materials.
- Install tempered glass windows, which are more resistant to breaking during a wildfire
- Cover vents and windows with metal mesh screens to prevent embers from entering.
- Ensure that your homeowners insurance covers damage from wildfires.
Floods
- consider elevating the homes foundation if it’s in a flood prone area.
- Install back-flow valves on all pipes to prevent sewage back up during a flood.
- Install a sump pump to prevent water from seeping into your basement or crawlspace. Purchase flood insurance.
Drought
- Use drought resistant plants and landscaping.
- Use a drip irrigation system instead of sprinklers to conserve water.
- Install low flow fixtures and appliances to reduce water usage.
- Collect rainwater in a barrel to use for watering plants.
Severe Storms and Hurricanes
- Install impact resistant tempered windows, doors, or storm shutters to protect against high winds and flying debris.
- Keep your trees trimmed to remove weak branches that may fall on your house.
- Have a back up power source, such as a generator, in case of power outages.
- Review your insurance coverage and make sure it covers wind and storm damage.
Extreme Heat
- Install a high-efficiency air conditioning system to reduce energy usage and costs.
- Plant shade trees or install shading devices, such as awnings or shutters to block direct sunlight from entering your home.
- Seal air leaks around your windows, doors and ductwork to prevent hot air from entering.
- Use a programmable thermostat to control the temperature in save energy.
There are reputable climate data resources available so you can evaluate the potential risks associated with a property such as flooding wildfires, extreme heat and strong winds.
FEMA Flood Maps – An interactive tool with flood hazard maps for specific areas. Users can enter an address or ZIP Code to view flood zones, flood depths, and floodplain boundaries.
Risk Factor – A free tour created by the nonprofit First Street Foundation to make it easy to understand a property’s risk of flooding, wildfire, heat and wind. Find past events, current risks, and future projections based on peer reviewed research.
ClimateCheck – a consumer tool that allows users to check the risks of flood wildfire, heat drought and storms for any property in the United States. It uses data from local and national sources to rate a properties, risk and assigns a rating from 1 to 100
Even with these precautions in place, there is no guarantee that a home will make it through an extreme weather event unharmed. However, these steps can reduce the impact of property damage. Consult with a professional to determine the best strategies for your situation. If you need a recommendation for a professional, please let me know and I would be happy to refer someone to you.
