Spring can be a wonderful season, full of new growth, plenty of sunshine and the promise of warmer weather to come. Unfortunately, spring is also a peak time for severe thunderstorms, which can cause costly damage to your home.

Thunderstorm Ready guidance from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), a research non-profit dedicated to identifying solutions to strengthen homes and businesses against severe weather and wildfire, provides homeowners with actions to take now to prepare for upcoming spring storms.

“In 2023, thunderstorms caused over $50 billion in losses and affected millions of Americans across the country,” says Dr. Ian Giammanco, lead research meteorologist at IBHS. “As we have already seen early season activity across the Midwest, it is critical to act now. The good news is there are steps you can take to reduce the likelihood of damage to your home.”

IBHS research has identified two upgrades that can make the most impact in strengthening a home to reduce property damage from severe thunderstorms. First, if your roof is aging or already damaged, re-roof to the FORTIFIED Roof™ standard using a “good” or “excellent” rated impact-resistant shingle, which offers protection against high wind and hail impacts. Second, upgrade to a garage door rated for wind speeds above 130 mph to protect your home’s largest opening from high winds.

IBHS guidance also provides critical easy-to-take steps before and after severe weather occurs to further strengthen your home:

• Seal gaps and cracks on your home’s exterior to prevent water and wind from entering around doors and windows.
• Trim trees with branches overhanging the roof or near windows to avoid damage from high winds.
• Cover HVAC units with protective screens to reduce hail damage.
• Upgrade vinyl and aluminum gutters and downspouts to more durable steel options that can better withstand hail.
• Install a home lightning surge protector to protect against power surges from nearby lightning strikes.
• Make space in your garage for vehicles so it is easier to quickly store them under cover when hail is in the forecast and temporarily store items like patio furniture and grills when high winds are predicted.

Using IBHS guidance and resources, property owners can increase resilience to severe storms and decrease the chance of costly damage and lengthy repairs that can occur when storms arrive this spring.

For more ways to prepare your property, the full IBHS residential Thunderstorm Ready guide and resources are available on IBHS.org.