Protect your property: invest in landscaping redesign or gutter replacement.

Is your home ready for storm season? If only all you needed was a really, really big umbrella. In reality, you need to get ready for storm season every year, because what protects your home is your home’s exterior. Here’s how you can take action during the summer and get ready for the seasons to come.

1. Secure Your Landscaping

In the summer months, your landscaping provides both beauty and shade for your home. However, that same landscaping can be a hazard during storm season. In the summer, take a critical look at larger landscaping elements such as large trees and shrubs. Are they healthy? Trim trees and shrubs to make sure that there are no loose branches. Take a look around your garden at other structures as well. From sheds to garden benches, you need to make sure that all of your structures can withstand seasonal storms and consider how they’ll fare during hurricane season if you live in an area that experiences these severe storms.

Make sure that your garden and home drainage systems are working well before fall storms.

2. Fix Your Drainage

When you’re in an area that experiences frequent rainstorms, you need to make sure that your home drainage is top notch. Take a look at how your garden drains. Do you need to change anything that will help the water move out of your garden or filter into the soil, rather than pooling or flowing toward your home’s foundation? Examine your gutters. If they’re warped, sagging, or clogged, now is the time to look into gutter replacement or cleaning. Your drainage system is your home’s defense system, so make sure that it’s in good repair.

3. Make Sure Your Roof is Working for You

How is your roof faring? Summer is the time for a check up. Look under your roof to see if there are any areas with mold growth or visible stains. Look on top to determine if shingles are loose or warped. Repair or replace sections of your roof if it looks like the water is getting in, since this will only get worse during fall and winter storms.

4. Plan for Snow

How is your winter weather? If ice storms and blizzards are on your local winter menu, get prepared for them in the summer. Make sure that your sidewalks and driveways are easy to clean and that your stairs and decks have handrails that will steady you on icy days. Consider how you’ll clear your snow more easily this year. From gutter heating to smoother pathways, plan to avoid snow and ice accumulation.

5. Create an Emergency Plan

Before the storms come, you need to be prepared. What you need is an emergency plan. Develop a disaster plan for your family, including phone numbers and a meeting place, so that if a severe storm comes when you’re at work or your children are at school, you’ll all know what to do. Your plan should include your pets as well: what will happen to them in a storm or in an evacuation scenario? Make sure that you have the appropriate supplies for your home. Every home needs a basic disaster supply kit that includes food, water, flashlights, a phone and a radio, and a first aid kit.

As you work to protect your home, turn to Lednor Home Solutions. We’re here to ensure that your home is as secure as possible. With our gutter covers, roofing, and more, we’ll help you protect your family and your belongings during the stormy seasons to come. Contact us and schedule an appointment.

Written by Del Thebaud