Things That Go Boom in the Night

With thunderstorms, it’s not really the thunder that gets you—it’s the rain. We all know the Midwest suffers through copious downpours in the spring! Warm, moisture-laden air travels over most of the country at this time of year, bringing much needed water to freshly sprouting vegetation. You’ll enjoy those May flowers. In the meantime, you may not enjoy the flooding and mold problems that happen when rain is too much of a good thing.

What to Do:

·         Clean out your gutters and check them for leaks. Don’t forget to check the downspouts for hidden clogs. Use a garden hose sprayer and a plumber’s snake to unblock downspouts if necessary.

·         Consider grading your lawn and installing French drains to direct water away from your foundation and prevent water from pooling in your yard.

·         If you have a basement, ensure that the sump pump has a backup power source. Otherwise, it won’t do you any good during a thunderstorm accompanied by a power outage. Installing a backup sump pump is also a good idea.

With Hailstones Like These, Who Needs Golf Balls?

Hail is something every Midwestern homeowner dreads (even though we do like to brag about the size of the biggest hailstones we’ve seen). These storms are often accompanied by lightning and high winds. It’s like Nature is pitching a fit—when it all starts hitting the roof it’s not a pretty sight.

What to Do:

·         Close your blinds, shades or curtains. Fasten these window coverings to the windowsill or wall with tape or tacks. That way, if hail does break a window, the glass won’t be blown throughout the room.

·         Stock up on some plywood and plastic sheeting so you can immediately patch up damaged windows and prevent rain from getting inside your house.

·         Use thick blankets to protect vehicles and other property that can’t be put under a carport or in the garage. This may reduce the impact of hail enough to avoid paint damage and minor dents.

·         If the hail is severe and large (at least ¾” in diameter), go ahead and call a roofing restoration specialist while you wait it out. That way, you can be one of the first clients on the list for damage assessment and repairs after the storm.

Everyone Knows It’s Windy

If you are in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Illinois, Missouri, or one of the other central US states, you know twisters touch so many lives every year. Spring is prime tornado season. But these aren’t the only windy events you should worry about. Straight-line winds also are common throughout the central regions of the US as the weather warms up. Knowing that you’ve done what you can to keep your house from being totally trashed can help you ride out these wind disasters. Some of the same technology that helps limit damage from hurricanes can also be used for protection against tornadoes and straight-line winds.

What to Do:

·         Consider protecting your home with roof tie-down clips. These clips anchor the roof deck to the frame of your house to make the whole structure stronger. Unlike many other roof upgrades, they don’t require extensive retrofitting.

·         Install storm shutters and wind resistant doors. These can be helpful in protecting against wind, keeping out water and preventing damage from tornadoes that are accompanied by hail.

·         Add a vertical bracing system to your garage door. This type of system takes only a few minutes to put in place (after initial installation) so you can prep your garage at a moment’s notice.

·         Prune trees so that the branches are a safe distance away from the roof or other structures around the house. Branches scraping across the roof can do a lot of damage to shingles and flashing. Broken limbs falling on your roof can cause an instant leak.

·         If a piece of yard furniture is light enough for you to lift it, high winds can probably pick it up too. Store loose furniture, toys, decorations, lawn equipment, and other items in a garage or shed. Offer to help neighbors move their lawn furniture too since windstorms don’t respect property lines!