Living by the beach is something a lot of people dream of. But it’s not all sunny and happy all the time when living in coastal communities. There are coastal threats that residents near the water constantly face; specific threats coastal residents are facing are sea-level rise, tsunamis, and flooding.
Aside from these catastrophic threats, living by the beach on a normal, sunny day can still harm your home. Living by the coast exposes a home to natural elements such as saltwater, high levels of humidity, and sunlight. This can cause deterioration in your home.
Below, we discuss the different elements that can harm your beach home.
Sunlight, Sea air, and Sand
Extreme heat and long periods of sunlight exposure can harm your home. It can cause a home’s external finishes to age quickly. Both sand and salty sea air can cause corrosion because of minute particles that scratch metal surfaces in a home. Salty sea air, in particular, once evaporated leaves salt behind the nooks and crannies of a beach home.
Aside from scratching metal surfaces, it causes rusting as well in the metalwork that is in the doorknobs, window latches, and other metal fixtures. Salt and sand can also scratch and chip paintwork. These two elements can also damage a house’s floors and soft furnishings due to humid sea air.
Because humidity is high near the coast, the wet air can also damage electrical appliances and cause corrosion of different fixtures and fittings.
Erosion and effects of weather
The effects of rain and wind are more damaging for homes near the coast. Therefore, a coastal home may need more maintenance than those inland.
Sudden tidal changes can cause rising water levels and high waves that can damage a home’s exterior including the garden. It can cause floods, too, that can eventually rich a home’s interiors, damaging furniture, equipment, and miscellaneous properties inside.
Another great fear of a lot of beach homeowners is coastal erosion. It is a phenomenon where rocks, sand, and soil are carried to the cost due to strong waves and sea-level rise. This typically happens during storms, even made worst by climate change.
Every time coastal erosion happens, shorelines become closer and closer to properties, causing a decrease in the value of a home. This is on top of the danger of flooding within a property. Aside from damaging a home’s exterior and interior, access to the home becomes difficult.
Protecting your property from environmental damages
This is not to discourage property owners from staying or purchasing a beach home. Discussing the problems existing in a coastal environment is necessary for making the right preparations to protect a home. Protecting a home is necessary because it is taking care of your investment.
Planning ahead can also make sure that you won’t face problems in the future when leaving in a coastal home.
Protect your fixtures and furnishings
One should anticipate that the maintenance of a beach home is always more expensive than a home away from the water. A great coastal environment does come with a price, as with everything good in life. But it is a great investment, and a value of a beach home is definitely higher than those in a typical location.
Invest in weatherproof paints for your coastal home. Selecting a great powder coating material can protect metal parts of your home and even your vehicles. Powder coating is an easy solution to prevent corrosion from damaging your property.
Treat all fixtures and fittings, and even the finished in the home’s exterior. Covers may also be necessary to protect the furniture in case of flooding and other environmental phenomena. Additionally, getting insurance for your home’s electrical appliances may be a wise idea; an extended warranty for these appliances is also a good choice.
Doing proper research
The best way to avoid facing problems regarding coastal erosion is to buy a home without a history of such an event. When buying a home, ask the previous homeowner if they have done major work within the property in recent years. Additionally, surveying the neighborhood may give you some signs of previous environmental damage.
Checking if the property was built in adherence to codes and regulations is a must, too. Doing a home inspection is necessary to check the damages in a home, or if there is a need for additional work on your end in the near future.
Again, insurance is a must in a coastal home. Much as you would like to protect your appliances, it is even more important to protect your home investment. Getting a home warranty will also ensure that future renovations will not be heavy on your pocket in the future.
Lastly, as with any home, regular maintenance is a must in beach homes. This is to ensure that you can immediately address issues as soon as they arise. Regular check-ups and maintenance will ensure that you won’t have to spend on major damages in the future.
