Staff
The world is getting hotter, and as it does, America is experiencing more and more extreme weather events. Philadelphia, for the time being, seems to be getting it pretty good: a look at Environment America’s Extreme Weather Map shows just four events impacting the city over the past decade. Hop the border into Burlington, NJ, and that number doubles. While the frequency of these events is on the low side when it comes to Pennsylvania, and businesses are set up to deal with it, homeowners are still paying the costs of August’s storms. Is Philly really resisting the trend, or is there more to it?
Looking at repair costs
One way to look at the impact of extreme weather is through the costs it attracts. The National Centers for Environmental Information website has a helpful roundup that shows the impact weather is having – in 2020, there were 22 events that cost over $1bn to rectify. Insurers put their prices up in danger areas due to this, and those costs are passed on to homeowners. Plumbing work to rectify storm damage in Philadelphia is likely to set you back $60+ an hour in labor costs – head out to Pittsburgh, and you’ll find similar costs. As you head further west and look for storm gutter maintenance in Columbus OH or water heater repair in Greenwood IN, where things have been a little less extreme, work is likely to set you back a little less.
Warranted interference?
The cost of repairs and the impact on companies is predictable, at least. As the Inquirer highlighted in February, the changing way of the world with fewer flights and less predictable weather led to constantly chopping and changing weather reports. Meteorologists can usually get a good handle on what’s going to go on in this part of the country at different times of the year – recent events have stopped that level of assurance.
What’s next
The Citizen notes the hot weather crisis on its way to the city, and that’s going to impact housing stock. A good bit of advice is to upgrade and repair now before it gets too expensive and before damage happens. Philly is likely to be a hot-spot for repairs – The Citizen notes how only Houston is more in need of housing stock repair than Philly, as many who live in the projects and older housing stock will attest to. While such volumes of homes remain in a state of disrepair, the city isn’t ready for more extreme weather impacts. Homeowners can make the first step by looking to storm-proof their own properties.
Philadelphia hasn’t yet been pounded by extreme weather like some other cities. That doesn’t mean the city can rest easy. Super-hot summers are on the way, and storms were felt just last year that gave a taste of what the rest of the country is really taking on. That means more costs, and more repairs that Philly homes aren’t ready for just yet.
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