From gusty winds to torrential rain, snow or hail, stormy weather can spell problems for your home and garden. Prevent damage where you can by preparing your home before the storms arrive:
- How to find out if there will be a storm
- What to do when a storm is forecast
- What to do during a storm
- What to do after a storm
How to find out if there will be a storm
The Met Office issue weather warnings across the UK, so check in on their forecast to see alerts for high winds and heavy rains in your area.
To get updates delivered to your inbox, you can sign up for the Met Office weather alert emails. They’ll let you know when there’s a yellow, amber or red warning in place near you and share helpful advice of what to do to protect yourself.
What to do when a storm is forecast
Bye-bye branches
Minimise the risk of damage from trees and shrubs by trimming back overhanging branches and getting rid of loose or dead ones. If you have a large tree in your garden, you might want to speak to a tree surgeon to do this for you safely.
Secure your car
If you have a car, you’ll need to make sure it’s parked somewhere safe before the bad weather hits. Park it in a garage (if you have one), or somewhere away from trees or objects that could fall in the storm.
Get your gutters ready
Before the winds pick up, clean out your gutters. Leaf litter, debris and moss can build up and cause your gutters to overflow in heavy rain. This can lead to plasterwork being damaged as the rainwater runs down the walls of your home.
Inspect your roof
A hole in your roof could spell trouble – especially when there’s a storm brewing. Check for cracked or loose tiles from the outside and search your loft for signs of daylight or water leakage. Both of these could be signs of damage you’ll need to investigate as soon as you can. If you don’t feel safe tackling the inspection alone, bring in a professional roofer to give you a hand.
Clear out your garden
Anything breakable or likely to get caught by the wind should be packed away and stored somewhere safe. This includes things like flowerpots, trampolines, barbecues and bikes. Check your gates, hedges and fences aren’t loose, wobbly, or likely to come down with strong winds. By keeping them maintained, they’ll last longer and be less likely to cause damage to anything else. Remember, Swiftcover home insurance doesn’t cover damage to gates, hedges, or fences caused by storms or floods.
Prep an emergency kit
If the storm warnings are severe, consider packing a box of useful items you could use if there’s a power cut or flood:
- Food that won’t need to be stored in the fridge
- Bottles of water
- Medicines you’ve been prescribed
- Waterproof clothes
- Radio and torch with batteries
- First aid kit.
What to do during a storm
Follow the advice from emergency services
If the storm gets bad and the emergency services tell you to evacuate your home, please follow their advice.
Look out for signs of flood
If the forecast is for heavy rain and you live in an area likely to flood, place down any flood defences you have. Check out our article on preparing for flooding for practical tips to keep you and your home safe.
Beware of damp
Spotted a damp patch? If a new patch of damp appears in your home during a storm, you may be at risk. Damp wiring can cause fires, so you’ll need to turn off the electricity at the fuse. Once the storm has passed, get in touch with a professional before switching your power back on.
What to do after a storm?
When the storm’s passed and it’s safe to do so, you’ll need to look around your home and garden for signs of damage. You might want to call in a tradesperson to help you spot and sort any issues, especially with your roof and gutters.
If you’re a Swiftcover home insurance customer, you can make a claim for storm damage online, or over the phone. Check out your policy documents in your online account for more information about what your insurance does and doesn’t cover.