Climate Proof Your Home Before It's Too Late!

Climate change is defined as a change in global or regional temperature and weather patterns. It is largely attributed to increased greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from various human activities.

Some of the effects of climate change in Malaysia today include rising sea levels leading to floods, increased heat islands, landslides, and a shift in the monsoon seasons.

Homes located on low-lying land near coastal areas are more prone to flooding, especially on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia.

Some areas suffer flooding during the northeast monsoon between November and January, which is expected to worsen over time.

The rainy season also poses a threat to houses and buildings built on hills and slopes, which might collapse from soil erosion unless soil retention works were adequately handled from the start.

Taiping is known to be one of Malaysia’s wettest places, with an average annual rainfall of 4,000mm.

Meanwhile, Kuala Klawang is the driest place in Malaysia, with an average annual rainfall of only 1,787mm.

As the effects of climate change take hold over the years, it would be wise to consider what weather extremes your home could potentially be subjected to.

This will help you understand how climate change will affect the structure of your home and the surrounding landscape.

Let’s say you’re looking to invest in a beachfront home and sell it for a profit later. It’s important to be aware that the value of your property could stagnate or even decrease if it’s exposed to harsh environmental conditions.

The longer you hold on to the house, the more costly it will be to mount repair works and reinforcements to prevent severe damage.

Hence, study the area and your developer of change before making any commitments!

As climate change worsens, property insurance can become more expensive and harder to get, especially for homes in areas prone to natural disasters like floods or landslides. Insurance companies may raise premiums for these high-risk properties or even stop offering coverage altogether, leaving homeowners without protection.

When choosing a property, it’s important to think about how climate change could affect your insurance costs and options.

It’s also good to research the specific climate risks in your desired area to understand what kind of insurance you’ll need. This can help you avoid unexpected expenses and provide peace of mind.

READ: All About House Insurance In Malaysia That You Need To Know!

Climate change can raise maintenance costs for homeowners in a few key ways. For example, homes in areas with frequent heat waves may need better cooling systems, which can increase energy bills.

Additionally, warmer conditions can attract pests like termites, damaging wooden structures and leading to expensive repairs.

Increased humidity and temperature changes can also cause mould and mildew to grow, leading to further removal costs.

Climate change intensifies the strain on critical infrastructure, such as dams and drainage systems, raising the risk of significant failures.

When these systems fail, homeowners can face serious problems. For example, a dam break can lead to severe flooding.

Similarly, if drainage systems can’t handle the water, it can back into homes, causing costly water damage and health issues like mould growth.

Thankfully, it isn’t all doom and gloom. You can do some things to climate-proof your home, which will save you money in the long run.

So, here are the 6 ways which you can use to climate-proof your home:

Over the last few years, the heat wave has become more noticeable and sometimes unbearable.

Covering your roof with live greenery like grass can have several benefits. It helps reduce heat penetration, which means your electricity bills are slashed. The vegetation can also absorb more water, which helps alleviate the risk of flooding.

Growing trees can shade your roof during the hottest months of the year, but be sure to trim it back before the rainy season to avoid damage to your roof from falling branches.

Malaysians consume a hefty 219 litres of water per day per capita, above the World Health Organisation’s recommended rate of 165 litres. It is no wonder we were all up in arms when multiple water cuts occurred this year.

With rising global temperatures, the risk of droughts brings the very real possibility of water shortages.

The solution is pretty simple. You don’t need a sophisticated system to collect rainwater. A bucket will do the trick, but if you have gutters installed, it is just a matter of channelling the water into a vessel for watering plants or cleaning the porch.

Electrical appliances like refrigerators should be raised if your home is prone to flooding to reduce the cost of replacing these items.

Consider raising all the electrical sockets in your home to avoid severe damage to the wiring and a costly bill.

If you receive a lot of sunshine, use it to your advantage and install solar panels or solar lights to maximise energy efficiency.

If you really want to geek out, look for ways to store that energy and utilise it for 24/7 appliances like a fish tank and fridge.

CO2 emissions from materials used in buildings, such as concrete and steel, require high energy.

It is good practice to find out what materials were used and where they were sourced from as locally sourced products emit far less energy than importing the same requires.

Giving preference to recyclable or reusable materials with zero toxic emissions is also a way that consumers can nudge developers towards being more environmentally conscious in their building and landscape design.

Speaking to your neighbours or residents’ association about climate-proofing your homes and community is by far the fastest way to improve resiliency, especially if your neighbourhood is prone to the effects of climate change.

Banding together can mean reduced costs and manpower needed to build, upgrade, or replace certain aspects within the neighbourhood.