As a Floridian, you’ll be sure to see your fair share of hurricanes. While many prepare with just boarding up their homes, some don’t realize the importance of preparing the trees on your property to withstand a storm.

We’ve been called on for emergency tree removal enough times to know that unexpected, powerful storms can do more damage than most realize. When it comes to protecting your family and your property from extreme weather like hurricanes, the time to get a plan together isn’t after it happens or when it’s already on its way. The time to get your hurricane preparedness protocol together is now, before disaster strikes. Having a solid plan mapped out provides a good chance that you’ll be spared from damage, inconvenience, financial obligations, and harm if a hurricane hits. While you can’t avoid weather and its potential altogether, there are many precautions you can take to secure an easier time for you and your family.

Here are just a few tips to get you and your home prepared in the event of extreme weather.

1. Contact Your Insurance Agent
If you live in a hurricane-prone area or know a big storm is on the way, it’s a good idea to get in touch with your homeowner’s insurance representative to know exactly what’s covered if your property is damaged. Should a tree end up on the roof or a branch go through the window, the time to know how much of the required repairs will be covered isn’t after it happens.

2. Secure Trees
Trees are one of the biggest causes of home damage when extreme weather occurs. Their size, their weight, and their vulnerability to the wind-water combo make them dangerous and even deadly during hurricane season. If you have new trees in your yard that are still staked, be sure to secure the stake deep in the ground to keep it from being badly blown. If you’ve taken a stake out in the last couple of years, consider restaking for a better hold.

3. Do Some Clearing
Don’t set yourself up for more potential damage by ignoring clear threats. Dead branches that are hanging on by a thread need to go before the wind gets to them. Also, strongly consider cutting branches that extend over your roof or come close. If you notice a tree in your yard has rotted at the base, consider clearing this out as well. Trees that have considerable rot near the roots are weaker and more vulnerable to being uprooted during a hurricane.

Emergency Tree Removal

In the unfortunate event that a hurricane does to damage to your home or other property, All Brothers Tree Service will be there to help. Trees often cause significant damage in extreme weather situations even after taking safety precautions, uprooting due to water and high winds, and landing on your home, your car, or other property. If this happens, ensure the area is safe first. Then, contact your homeowners insurance provider to discuss what needs to be done. Having photos of the initial damage is a good idea as well. Lastly, call the Blackhawk team to remove any fallen trees so your local roof repair professionals can begin the necessary repairs.

These situations are never easy, but with preparedness, you can prevent a bad situation from being worse. When damage occurs, we’ll be here to help so you can get back to your life sooner and easier.