While spring may be the season of rain showers, summer’s thunderstorms could certainly give it a run for its money. Unfortunately, while thunderstorms may be soothing to listen to for some, the high winds and hard rain can leave damage on American homes.

Most American homes are built to endure the elements including severe storms, but over time your home can wear down, leaving room for your house to take some serious blows. Sometimes literally. To keep you and your family safe, perform a routine check-up on the exterior of your home after a particularly nasty storm as well as throughout the year.

Check Your Roof
Your roof is the part of your home that is exposed to the rain, snow, wind, and heat. Therefore, it’s important to check your roof for damage in order to keep the rest of your home safe from the elements. Stand outside to see if there are any missing shingles, strange dips in the roofing, or sagging gutters.

After you’ve determined your roof looks alright from further away, it’s time to check up close for a better inspection. Get a ladder and safely make your way to the roof once it’s had suitable time to dry if there’s been a rain storm recently. A wet roof can be dangerous and may cause you to slip. Another way to determine if there’s any damage to your roof is by checking indoors in the attic. You should be able to easily tell if there are any missing shingles as there will most likely be natural light cascading from above that shouldn’t be there. Check for any additional leaks.

Keep An Eye On the Walls
After the roof, the walls of your home are the next likely victims of severe weather damage. While walking outside, run your eyes along the sides of the walls to see if there are any impacted damage from trees or hail. Moisture let into your home through roof or wall damage can often lead to mold and further damage to the foundation.

Maintain Your HVAC System
Even though air conditioners use 50% less energy nowadays than they did back in 1990, it’s still very important to routinely check your outdoor AC unit if you have central air conditioner for any crushed coil fins or disconnected lines. Strong winds and debris can often cause damage to outside units.

If your HVAC system is suffering from damage, check the warranty to see if it’s still covered. Should it still be covered, be sure you have accurate and sufficient documentation of the damage to the system and contact the manufacturer.

HVAC contractors may be able to determine if there’s a problem with your system even if you can’t. If you believe your HVAC system has suffered from damage due to weather or otherwise, consult your local HVAC contractor to see if your unit can be repaired.