Renovations that Add Resilience to Homes

BY MICHELE LERNER

Following Superstorm Sandy wreaking havoc along New Jersey’s coast, it became apparent for many to make home improvements that can withstand intense storms and extreme temperatures.

The home of Joseph McMullen, a Realtor-Associate® in Spring Lake, was damaged in the storm and his experience in the coastal climate helps him advise buyers and sellers with resilient home improvements.

Real estate agents should know the true price of various fixes that may be required now or in the future,” said McMullen. “A lot of buyers think a roof may cost $40,000 when it’s really an $8,000 job. Agents also need to know their market. Right now, homeowners can sell without fixing things, so it helps to advise buyers to budget for potential repairs and renovations.

Existing homes offer a chance for “opportunistic retrofitting,” said Deane Evans, FAIA, director of the Center for Building Knowledge at the New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark.

The average homebuyer spends $7,000 on home improvements when they move into a house,” said Evans. “There are programs available that incentivize or help pay for energy efficient improvements, so it’s smart to use the opportunity to invest in things that will make your home more resilient in a storm and during power outages.

Evans recommends real estate agents inform buyers about the value of renovations designed for resilience.

“If a seller upgraded their systems to make them more energy efficient and replaced the windows or the roof, agents can explain how important these things are in terms of sustainability and resilience to extreme weather along with saving money,” said Evans. “In the long run, these things also add value to a home.”

Severe storms, high winds and extreme temperatures impact homes throughout New Jersey and are anticipated to become more intense because of climate change. New Jersey has a high water table, so homes are particularly prone to water infiltration, said Alan Archuleta, principal of Archuleta Builders in Morristown.

12 Home Improvements for Durability

While not every homeowner or buyer has an unlimited budget, there are plenty of improvements that can be made at a lower cost.

1. Exterior maintenance.

About 75 to 80% of water that comes into a basement is caused by poor exterior maintenance, said Archuleta. He recommends cleaning downspouts and checking that the building envelope is sealed. Christine Liaukus, an architect at the Center for Building Knowledge at the New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark, suggests making sure that gutters dump water far from the base of the house.

2. Proper grading.

Sometimes when a neighbor changes their landscaping it can cause water to flow into your yard and home, said Archuleta. Grading the foundation to slope away from the house is a low-cost preventative measure that every homeowner should do, suggested Liaukus.

3. Sump pumps and French drains.

In an unfinished basement, adding a sump pump or a French drain can cost $10,000, said Archuleta, but the price can be much higher in a finished basement with floors that would need to be torn up and replaced. These systems need a battery back-up in case of power outages and regular inspections to make sure they are working properly. Chapman- Henderson suggests hiring a plumber to add a back flow preventer to keep sewage from flowing into a house.

4. Trim the trees.

Roof damage is the number one most common insurance claim, said Liaukus. The best protection for your roof is to prune nearby tree branches and remove unhealthy trees or those that are too close to the house, said McMullen. Because of the high water table in New Jersey, many trees don’t have the root system to handle high winds, Archuleta said. In addition, he said, allowing more sun to reach the roof allows it to dry in between storms and avoid mold.

5. Upgrade exterior trim.

McMullen recently replaced rotted wood trim with Azek fiberglass trim, which is not only more attractive but is also less porous and therefore resistant to water infiltration. A quicker and less costly fix is to paint trim with acrylic paint, said McMullen.

6. Install a rain garden and porous pavers.

A rain garden can reduce the risk of flood and add curb appeal to a house, said Liaukus. Instead of using hard stone surfaces for patios and driveways, Liaukus recommends using porous pavers to allow water to sink into the ground rather than run off the surface.

7. Anchor fuel tanks.

Spilled oil and gas can be an environmental hazard and a fire risk, said Chapman- Henderson. Anchoring the tanks can prevent them from being damaged or leaking during severe weather.

8. Add insulation.

Cellulose insulation can be blown into walls through small holes and added to a basement and attic to improve energy efficiency and resilience to extreme temperatures, said Liaukus. A layer of insulation can be added when installing new siding. About 10,000 homes in New Jersey are re-sided every year, said Evans, and with a small extra investment in insulation the homes can be substantially improved.

9. Replace the windows.

Windows that let in air and moisture should be replaced with double or tripled-paned windows for energy efficiency and strength in a storm, said McMullen. The Fortified Home program provides guidance on windows and other strategies to improve resilience, said Liaukus.

10. Elevate mechanical systems.

Both indoor and outdoor air conditioning units, furnaces, water heaters and heat pumps can be elevated to reduce damage from flooding and indoor units, said Chapman-Henderson. Raising appliances indoors on top of bricks or even planks of vinyl siding can save homeowners from an expensive repair, said Liaukus

11. Check for corrosion.

When outdoor light fixtures, doorknobs, hinges, and outlets become corroded, it’s not just an eyesore, it can be an electrical hazard, said McMullen.

12. Install flood vents.

Vents that look like grills can be retrofitted to allow water to flow through the lowest level of a house, said Chapman- Henderson. The homeowners can design that level with materials that are less prone to damage during a flood and may get a discount on their flood insurance premiums.

Raising awareness of ways homes can be strengthened against natural disasters and extreme weather can be one more way real estate agents can serve as trusted advisors to their clients.