1.  Tackle Sweltering Weather


Why: Climate change is creating killer heat waves across the nation, which drive up your home’s energy costs. 

 Experts say these heat waves are going to occur more often and with more intensity, probably affecting more 

 homeowners than any other extreme weather event.

How: Install a cool roof. It can make your home more comfortable when the temperatures spike. A traditional 

 dark-colored roof can heat up to almost 190 degrees, creating sweltering indoor conditions. A lighter-colored cool 

 roof stays 50 to 100 degrees cooler since it reflects sunlight instead of absorbing heat. As an added bonus, keeping 

 your roof cooler can extend its life.

Extreme weather cool roof Image: Owens Corning Roofing & Asphalt Duration Premium Cool Shingles in Sage


 There are a ton of roofing materials. Among the options:

  • Cool roof coating. It’s like a very thick white paint that can be applied to different roof types. Coatings can offer 

  • additional perks such as water and chemical protection.

  • Cool-colored roofing tiles. They look like traditional tiles but have a higher solar reflectance.  Tiles like these also 

  • come in a wide range of shades. Keep in mind darker colors like black will be less reflective than a lighter shade 

  • like terra cotta.

 Tip: Although a cool roof can keep your home cooler during the summer, it can reduce beneficial heat gains 

 during the winter. If you have a flat or shallow-pit roof, consider a green roof, which is either partially or 

 completely covered in plants.


Green roofs have gained traction over the past five years because of their eco-friendly benefits.

  • Natural insulators, they cut heating and cooling costs while slashing a home’s carbon emissions.

  • They reduce storm water runoff because plants absorb the water that would otherwise flow into the gutter. 

  • They provide a habitat for local wildlife in urban areas.

 FYI: Proper maintenance and the right equipment can keep your home more comfortable during the summer 

 and winter months.

  • Change your HVAC filters regularly and seal the ducts to save up to 20% in energy costs.

  • Properly program your thermostat. Or at least don’t neglect to program it (most people never take that extra 

  • step).

  • Calculate your carbon footprint with this calculator from the EPA. It’ll help you identify where you can make the 

  • biggest energy reductions in your home.  To get accurate results, you’ll need to reference energy costs from your 

  • utility bills.


2.  Prepare for Power Outages

Why: As the weather gets more extreme, public utilities will become more vulnerable. Blackouts in the U.S. have 

 doubled since 2003 because of extreme weather events. Storms, extreme cold, severe heat, and wildfires have left 

 147 million customers without electricity for at least an hour, and in many cases for much longer. So far this year, 

 powerful storms have left hundreds of thousands of consumers without power, many for days, some even weeks.




 How: Install a standby generator. You’ll have electricity to run essential appliances and your central air 

 system. It can even reduce your chances of flood damage by keeping your sump pump running. It’s permanently 

 installed outside your home and fueled by liquid propane or natural gas. Since it’s wired directly into your home’s 

 electrical system, it can automatically restore power in seconds. Price depends on the size of your home and the 

 amount of wattage needed. A 14,000-watt model can cost around $3,300 while a 50,000-watt model can cost 

 around $16,000.



Tip: If the ticket price is too high, you can opt for a portable generator. They’re fueled by gasoline or propane, and 

 are powerful enough to keep a few appliances and some lights running. Most big-box stores sell portable 

 generators with prices starting at $299. Try the generator buying guide from “Consumer Reports” for product 

 reviews.




FYI: A permanent standby generator requires professional installation, which increases the cost.  But here’s some 

 great news: On average, homeowners can recoup 67.5% of a standby generator’s cost, according to “Remodeling” 

 magazine’s “Cost vs Value Report.”



3.  Fortify Your Home Against Wicked Winds



Why: Powerful winds from extreme storms like hurricanes can cause weak places in your home to fail. That’s a 

 significant reason why hurricanes are responsible for eight out of the 10 most expensive natural disasters to have 

 hit the U.S.


If high winds manage to get inside your home, not only will they wreck your belongings, they can cause major 

 structural damage by ripping the roof off of your house.


Although 83% of the strongest hurricanes (that’s Category 4 and 5) hit either Florida or Texas, storms like these 

 are increasing in frequency and intensity and will impact the entire Gulf and Atlantic coasts — that’s a total of 18 

 states, from Texas to Maine.  And keep in mind that once winds expose your home to the elements, you risk major 

 water damage.



How: Make your home more impact resistant. Hurricane Andrew was one of the strongest hurricanes ever 

 to hit the U.S. Many of the homes damaged by its 167 mph winds could have been prevented with proper wind 

 protection, says FEMA. Even if you don’t live in a hurricane-prone area, making your home impact resistant can 

 protect against tornadoes and other high-wind storms. Here are ways you can windproof:

  • Add truss bracing to homes with gabled roofs, which are more prone to hurricane wind damage. The bracing uses 

  • wood beams to attach the rafters at the ends of gable roofs to boost stability.

  • Install impact-resistant windows, doors, and garage doors. These can inhibit high winds that cause structural 

  • damage from entering your home. Impact-resistant features like these come with additional perks. They can:

    • Protect your home from intruders

    • Reduce outside noise

    • Stop warm or cool air from escaping

    • Entitle homeowners to a discount on home insurance


  • Install shutters and retrofit your garage door if impact-resistant windows and doors aren’t in your budget. (A 

  • single window can cost as much as $600; a garage door can cost as much as $1,400.) Door and window shutters 

  • can cost as little as $5 per square foot; retrofitting your garage door to boost its hurricane resistance can cost 

  • between $150 and $500. Keep in mind, shutters and retrofitting may not be the best long term investment:


    • They’re not convenient. You have to put up the shutters and brace your garage door whenever a storm is coming, 

    • and that can be potentially dangerous. Most homeowners don’t have the tools, time, or experience to properly 

    • install them.

    • Although they both offer protection, they may not resist high wind pressures as effectively during Category 4 or 5 

    • hurricanes. This is especially true for older, less wind-resistant homes, and if your garage door is made of wood.

    • New windows and garage doors, in general, have more value when it’s time to sell.

 Tip: Houses built to current codes have a better chance of withstanding a hurricane or violent windstorm. If you 

 live along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts or in a region known for harsh, stormy weather, one of the best ways you 

 future-proof your home is by making fortifying improvements in step with current building code requirements.



FYI: Hurricane-proofing your yard can also protect your home. Proper tree maintenance can prevent diseased or 

 weakened branches from falling and damaging property. In addition, remove anything in your yard that’s not 

 secured in place — wind chimes, outdoor furniture, garbage cans, garden equipment, and toys — which can 

 become projectiles.

 
4.  Fend Off Wildfires
Why: Drought is the new normal in many parts of the country. Extreme dry conditions are increasing the 

 frequency and severity of wildfires, especially in Western states.
How: Incorporate fire-wise landscaping. It can put a damper on dry conditions by limiting the number of 

 flammable vegetation and materials around your home.

Extreme weather wildfire Image: NFPA Firewise Communities ProgramThe right materials can act as fuel breaks. Here are just a few ideas:

  • Replace mulch with pebbles or gravel

  • Replace a wood deck with a concrete patio

  • Add pavers and rocks

  • Avoid fire-prone plants that have volatile oils that burn easily. One way to identify plants in the pyrophytic family: 

  • Crush their leaves to see if they produce a strong smell. Examples include: sagebrush, rosemary, and pine trees. 


Tip: High-moisture annuals and perennials native to your area also are a part of a fire-wise landscape. You can 

 find lists of plants appropriate for your area at firewise.org.

FYI: Wire mesh offers some protection by reducing the risk of nearby embers entering or hitting vulnerable parts 

 of your home. You can use wire mesh to:

  • Cover soffit, attic, and under-eave vents

  • Cover openings in areas below patios, desks, and porches to prevent the collection of combustible materials like 

  • dried leaves and other flammable debris
5.  Retrofit for Flooding



Why: Flooding is the No. 1 costliest natural disaster in the U.S. Flooding has wreaked havoc in all 50 states over 

 the last five years.  Just six inches of floodwater in a 2,000-square-foot home can rack up nearly $40,000 in flood 

 damage.


How: Flood-proof your home. The best way to protect your property from flooding is with a flooding retrofit. 

 FEMA and the National Flood Insurance Program have strict guidelines on what would work (and they aren’t 

 cheap). Here are a few:

  • Elevate your home so that the lowest floor is at or above flood level.

  • Dry flood-proof your home so it can withstand floodwaters for at least 72 hours. This involves making the portion 

  • of a home that’s below flood level watertight using materials like concrete.

  • Wet flood-proof your house, which involves making changes that will allow floodwater inside a home’s structure 

  • to minimize damage.

 There’s also the option to relocate your home to higher ground, but that’s pretty out of reach for most people.


Tip: Before you start retrofitting, make sure the upgrades you pick are in sync with local government and 

 National Flood Insurance Program requirements. Your local flood insurance agent can help. Find yours at 

 FloodSmart.gov.

FYI: Regular homeowners insurance doesn’t cover flooding. And when you consider that almost 20% of all flood 

 insurance claims come from moderate-to-low risk areas, you may discover you need it. You can find out what 

 your flood risk is at FloodSmart.gov.


6.  Buy Green Power to Slow Climate Change
Why: The electricity we use to power our homes is the biggest source of greenhouse gases. In the U.S. about 67% 

 of our electricity is generated from fossil fuels that cause global warming. Thirty-nine percent of that total is 

 attributed to coal. Coal is the leading source of air pollution and man-made carbon emissions in the world.

How: In many parts of the country, consumers have the opportunity to buy electricity generated from renewable 

 energy sources through alternate power suppliers. Renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, don’t 

 produce carbon emissions.  Even better, technologies used to create green energy are becoming less expensive to 

 build and maintain. And unlike fossil fuels, the price of renewable energy stays the same: zero.
Extreme weather wind farm Image: Chuck Coker

Tip: You can generate your own green power. Solar power systems are going mainstream, and it’s easy to see 

 why. Generating your own electricity will reduce your energy bills and shrink your carbon footprint while making 

 your home less dependent on your local utility company. Although buying your own solar system can cost as 

 much as a new car, you can save as much as 50% with rebates and incentives. Need more incentive? Just imagine 

 how envious your neighbors will be when there’s a disruption in their utility service, but your home still has 

 power.

Finally, remember that regular preventative maintenance is the cornerstone of home protection. So if you’re not 

 cleaning your gutters or sealing your home against water and air leaks, add-ons won’t make much difference.