It would be nice to be able to say we’re coming up to the only time of the year to expect weather warnings, but these days that seems to be all year round.
Whether you put it all down to global warming or not, the rate of extreme weather in Australia has certainly been at a record high over the last few years. Between raging bushfires and heavy floods, it’s never been a stranger to live in our wild and glorious country. This increase in unpredictable weather goes hand in hand with an increased risk to your person, and your property. Safe to say, it’s never been more important to ensure your deck and your property are fully protected. There are several basic ways you can get yourself prepared and covered should the worst happen – as always, it’s better to be safe than sorry. There’s no such thing as being overly cautious when thinking of your home.
Insurance
It’s always tempting to stick to the basics when insuring our homes. It’s also extremely common for those who rent to think there’s no need to take out any cover. When you’ve watched the money go out of your account with no need to claim for years on end, you’ll inevitably start to wonder what it’s all for. If this is the case, you need only ask someone less fortunate to hear how valuable their policy ended up being when something went wrong and they needed that cover.
Every smart homeowner will already have a basic building insurance policy in place. If your property is an apartment, you may have had to secure this to join the building. Some countries (including the UK) have a legal requirement for you to hold building insurance for your home. While it’s a common demand from financial institutions when trying to secure a loan in Australia, it is not a mandatory requirement. Just because it’s not law, doesn’t mean it should be overlooked. If you haven’t already got a policy in place, take this as your sign to get it sorted. And if you do, take this as your sign to review it and make sure you’re fully covered.
If you’re a renter, you should still be thinking of home insurance. You’re going to want to take out a policy that covers the contents of your home rather than the building itself. That way, if the worst was to happen, you’ll have a bit of help when it comes time to start fresh.
Disaster Plans
Often people hear the term disaster plan and think it’s only necessary for those that live out in the bush or are surrounded by water. It may seem like a reach to say that everyone should have a disaster plan, but at the risk of sounding like a Doom’s Day prepper, you really should be prepared for anything.
It won’t take long to put together and will ensure that in the event of a disaster, both natural and otherwise, you and your family will know what to do in response. There are a lot of helpful resources on the internet to assist with what the best design is for your situation. Make sure you’re equipped to protect your home to the best of your ability or risk losing it unnecessarily.
Maintain Your Property
The benefits of property maintenance are not just aesthetic. If you don’t do the simple little things around the yard, you may find yourself worse off in the event of a bushfire or other natural disaster. Simple tasks like clearing your gutters and keeping your lawn cut low will go a long way in protecting your asset. Another large and often overlooked task is deck maintenance. It’s hard to say what the best product for deck protection is, but a decent timber oil will protect your deck from the damages that come with severe weather. Clearing all the debris and giving it a good scrub with a quality deck cleaner is also a must if you want to reduce the amount of kindling around your home.
If you’re fortunate enough to have a larger block of land or live a bit more remote than some, it’s very important to keep on top of burn-offs and regularly trim back any heavily treed areas. Allowing these parts of your property to become overgrown and uncontrolled will make the danger and spread of bushfires more likely. It’s a big task, but we all have to do our bit for our community safety, not to mention the increased protection of your home.
Safety & Security
Not all threats are going to come in the form of natural disasters. It would be foolish to overlook the potential for accidents inside the home and even criminal activity. If you’ve got young kids in the house, there’s no doubt you’ll know all about life’s little accidents and how easy it is to damage your home without trying.
Most modern home designs Melbourne has on offer will include options or suggestions that cover built-in safety. Take induction cookers, these genius inventions will only heat when there is a pan on the stove and are particularly noisy when accidentally left on. This might be ultra-annoying when you’re just trying to pour out your pasta water, but it’s much less likely you’ll head out for the day only to come home to your kitchen on fire – you can be sure it’s not quite the style of black floorboards you were going for.
Similarly, modern designs, including the display homes Melbourne is known for, will include some kind of security alarm. We all hope that the neighborhood we live in is safe and that our belongings will safely remain in our homes, but this simply isn’t the case. Even the most gentrified areas of a city will be at risk of burglary and vandalism. Having a camera or alarm system installed in your home will help reduce the targetability of your home, while also assisting you if you need to identify a culprit.
Protecting your home and the special aspects of it, like your outdoor deck can give you peace of mind.