24/7 Emergency Service
Is Your Home Ready For The Next Big Storm?
4/20/2020 (Permalink)
Here are Five Tips to help prepare your home and reduce the potential for damage caused by severe storms.
TIP ONE: Regularly Clean your gutters, down pipes and drains to prevent blockages
Always remember to keep your gutters and down pipes clear. Blockage can cause water to overflow under the eaves, leading to water damage. Clear leaves and debris from your roof as these will make their way into the gutters in heavy rain. Keep the drains around your property clear. This helps surface water move away and prevents water from pooling and entering your property.
TIP TWO: Check & Maintain Your Roof.
Your roof should be checked every year and after major events. Look for signs of damage. Fix any cracked, broken or displaced tiles. Buildup of dirt should be removed to prevent blocking the drainage channels on the underside of tiles. Damaged roof sheeting may need to be patched or replaced. Don’t forget to check inside your roof space. Light shining through may indicate that your roof is damaged.
*Working on a roof can be dangerous so we recommend you contact an expert tradesperson if you need help to check or maintain your roof.
TIP THREE: Clean & tend your yard and balcony. Make sure, to secure or store items that could be blown away in strong winds
Strong winds can pick up even large items such as outdoor furniture, trampolines and roofing iron causing damage to windows, roofs and cars. Try to keep items around your property tidy. When there is severe weather in the forecast, you may need to secure or put away things away.
TIP FOUR: Trim trees and branches that could fall on your home or property.
Remember to park your car away from trees if severe weather is predicted.
When planting trees and shrubs, consider the mature size of the tree and use this to guide the planting location.
*We suggest working with an expert tradesperson- contact a qualified and insured arborist or tree surgeon when necessary, speak with a trusted nursery or garden center for guidance on plant selection and planting techniques.
TIP FIVE: Check your insurance policy, be sure it current and adequate.
Make sure that your insurance policy provides coverage for the types of events specific to your location, these may include: storm water runoff, flash floods and damage to properties by trees (to name a few). What type of coverage do you have? Building insurance, contents insurance – what do you have, what do you need? Also, consider what level of coverage are you are insured for, is it enough to recover from major damage?
If your home does suffer storm damage, SERVPRO of Shrewsbury/Westborough is HERE TO HELP.
Flooding and water damage is very invasive. Water quickly spreads throughout your home and gets absorbed into floors, walls, furniture, and more. SERVPRO of Shrewsbury/Westborough arrives quickly and starts the water extraction process almost immediately. This immediate response helps to minimize the damage and the cleaning and restoration costs.