Winter Storm Blair blew through the country early in the week, bringing less Winter Wonderland and more Winter Hazardland. It’s been a disruptive time, with snow and ice making roads unsafe and weighing down power lines. But winter storms like these aren’t just about the dangerous roads or business closures.

As real estate investors, you know your properties can be impacted, too. Whether it’s snow and ice, rain, or drought, your properties are vulnerable to the weather. And while none of us can control what Mother Nature throws our way, we can take steps to ensure our investments – and the families living in them – stay safe.

6 Ways to Protect Your Rental Properties from Weather Risks

#1 – Invest in preventative maintenance.

They say prevention is the best cure, and it’s as true of houses as people. Curbing potential problems before issues arise is instrumental in protecting your properties in extreme weather. Invest in property management with a keen idea for detail – those who see that gutters need cleaning, sidewalks need salting, or decks need new slats.

You don’t want to find a problem with your roof in the middle of a monsoon! You may not be the eyes on the ground ensuring the details are taken care of, but you can be diligent in setting the standard and working only with professionals who meet it.

#2 – Supply an emergency kit.

As an investor, you aren’t obligated to supply emergency supplies to your rental residents. But this can be a great way to make them feel safe, seen, and prepared for emergencies. Consider the essentials: fire blankets, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, matches, flashlights or lanterns, sandbags (for hurricane risks), tarps, batteries, a first aid kit, and a battery-powered or hand crank radio. The list goes on! You don’t necessarily need to include everything, but it may be wise to provide a few essentials during seasons of elevated risk.

You may want to include a list of emergency numbers, evacuation routes, and other key safety procedures, such as where to hunker down in case of a tornado.

#3 – Educate your residents.

Sometimes, we take for granted what people know about property maintenance. If you’ve only ever rented and never owned a property – never needed to take full responsibility for maintenance – then you might not understand what you need to do. While you have management to deal with this, it’s also wise to equip your residents to care for the property, too.

When they move in, provide a handbook explaining the when and how of basic maintenance tasks. They might not know that leaves must be removed from a wooden deck or that outdoor faucets need covers in the winter. Empower your residents, as much as possible, to have agency over the property’s conditions.

#4 – Prepare for the worst.

The worst-case scenario rarely happens. But when it does, no one regrets over-preparing. We’re not suggesting you glue yourself to weather reports and get worked up. But we are suggesting you have a plan to prepare when a big storm heads your way. That preparation will look different based on the weather risks.

Know what your steps are if there’s flooding. If the tornado hits. If your property is iced over. Be ready to act once you’ve done everything in your power to mitigate damage.

#5 – Maintain adequate insurance.

Though it’s been off the air for some time, the original run of Hotel Hell (the Gordon Ramsey spin-off of the popular Kitchen Nightmares) once featured a property with a tragic cautionary tale. The hotel’s restaurant burned down. And it was only then that the owners discovered that their insurance coverage had lapsed by mere days.

Did that make you feel sick to your stomach? Because we sure did.

Investors, stay on top of your insurance policies. Know what you need, when to increase coverage, and what extras are worth the cost. You don’t want to face weather damage only to realize you weren’t covered!

#6 – Evaluate weather risks BEFORE you buy.

Now, we’ve mentioned some of the importance of procedures and action. But let’s step back from the immediacy of weather risks. Yes, we need procedures for the emergency when it happens. But your risk mitigation starts before you even buy the property.

Further Reading: Avoid Your Own Turnkey Horror Story

Do you consider environmental risk exposure before you buy the property? Do you take climate into account? Have the property seen during a hard rain to determine drainage issues or flood risks. Understand how its geography helps or hurts during extreme weather. Every investor needs a checklist to assess these risks – ones a property inspection is unlikely to catch!

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