Preparing Your Home for Summer Storms and Hurricanes

America is among the countries to experience the wildest weather extremes such as hurricanes, wildfires, and tornadoes. During the summer and spring months, there is always the risk of severe storms and hurricanes. Whenever they occur, they can cause severe damage to residential and business properties, requiring repairs.

Before the summer storms and hurricanes occur, property owners need to take steps to safegaurd their property and investment. ServiceMaster Fire and Water Restoration is a home restoration company that offers legal and professional services to the affected houses. Our company is situated in South Carolina, and it advises the homeowners on how to prepare their homes to avoid and minimize the damage that is caused whenever they occur.

During the summer months, severe storms can appear suddenly. Regardless of where you live, you are at risk for storm damage. Our company provides the following tips for preparing your home for storms and hurricanes.

Storm-guard Your Home

Several steps are needed to protect your home against the strong winds and downpours caused by hurricanes:

One preparation for storm-guarding your home is to strap down the roof using hurricane clips to fasten the roof to the frame of the house to minimize roof damage.

Homeowners can install head and foot bolts on entry doors, as well as secure window covers or storm shutters made from thick marine plywood to provide extra protection during storms.

Applying fresh caulking around windows and doors can prevent water from entering your house. Also, sump pumps and drains should be tested to ensure they are working properly, and maintain a supply of fresh backup batteries for flashlights, radios, and other electronic equipment that is vital during storms should you lose power.

Safety-proof Your Landscaping

Trees and other landscaping features are vulnerable to the summer storms and hurricanes, potentially creating projectiles that can cause damage to houses. The following steps are necessary to prevent homes from being damaged by outdoor materials:

1. Trim trees and shrubs – This helps them resist strong winds, minimizing the chances of damage caused by falling trees.
   
   
2. Replace gravel with shredded bark – when it is time to refresh your gravel paths or drive, replace gravel with bark since windblown gravel can cause damage to the structures.
   
   
3. Hire an arborist – seeking the help of a professional to assess the condition of the trees near your house can help you identify dangerous trees for removal to prevent damage of property.
   
   
4. Tie down small trees and shrubs – this is done to avoid uprooting caused by severe winds.

Assess Your Homeowner's Insurance Policy

A proper insurance policy is essential to cover you in the event of severe damage caused by storms and hurricanes. Ensure your insurance coverage is adequate and up-to-date, because being underinsured may cause problems when making a claim.

In addition to providing information on how to prepare your home for summer storms and hurricanes, our company offers repair services for property damage resulting from severe weather, flooding, mold, and fire damage. Contact ServiceMaster of Florence, or ServiceMaster of Columbia to learn more.