With the super hot summers that BC usually experiences every year coming, we should also expect and prepare for the BC wildfires that typically come with the season too. Protecting a home from wildfire damage can help save homeowners thousands of dollars worth of fire damage and home insurance expenses. Below are some tips and tricks to keep in mind to help protect your home from wildfires.
#1. Install Metal Mesh Screens
Simply installing some metal mesh screens to your chimney and HVAC systems to prevent fire embers from entering your home through them can help keep fires from entering inside.
#2. Clean Attic Vents
Cleaning your vents from flammable debris, lint, etc., can also help protect your HVAC systems from fires.
#3. Inspect and Clean the Roof
Inspecting your roof and gutters for dry leaves, wood chips, etc., and cleaning them out as needed will also help protect your roof from catching fire in the case of wildfires nearby. Keeping your roof clean and maintained is very important, and we also mention it in our list of home maintenance tasks that can keep you safe from home insurance claims.
SEE: Do These Home Maintenance Tasks to Stay Safe From Insurance Claims
#4. Repair or Replace Damaged Windows
If any windows are compromised (broken glass, failed seals, etc.), it is best to repair or replace the window to ensure you can effectively keep unwanted smoke and fire debris outside of your home.
#5. Trim Landscaping
Ensure that the plants and trees around your house do not touch the structure by trimming them as needed. Also, trees and plants that touch each other will spread wildfires better than those that do not, so ensure they don’t touch each other by trimming where needed.
#6. Space Out Plants
If possible, you can go a step further from just trimming and re-positioning plants and trees to space them out even more. This can be done for landscaping close to your house (some suggest keeping plants and trees a minimum of 5 ft away from your home), but keeping plants away from each other is also beneficial.
#7. Add Fire-Resistant Plants
Remember how flammable each species is when adding plants and trees to your property. Adding fire-resistant plants like lavender or sage to your property will keep your home safer from wildfire risks.
#8. Keep Deck Clean
Declutter your dreck to remove any flammable material from both on top of the deck and underneath it. The less (flammable) junk nearby, the better.
#9. Keep Tools Close
Keeping fire prevention tools like fire extinguishers and water hoses nearby is also a good idea in case of any emergencies that could use some quick action.
Harbord Can Help!
Harbord the Home Insurance people are a team of home insurance experts. Contact us today if you have any questions about your home’s fire insurance if you want more tips to protect your home from wildfires, or for additional resources for BC wildfire prevention and management. Our team would be happy to answer any questions you may have.
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If you live in Alberta or British Columbia and are looking for Home Insurance, we are here to answer any questions you may have about our range of home insurance products and services. Contact us at 1.844.544.4663 and see for yourself what makes us Harbord – The Home Insurance People™!
