High winds and heavy rains can cause hurricane season to be a worrisome time for a lot of residents as they dread the damage they will find to their property after the storm passes through.
However, there are certain measures that can be taken to help make sure that the amount of damage is limited as much as possible.
Some of the preventive steps taken before a storm pertain to trees, according to Tree Masters owner and operator John Shields, who has 35 years of experience in the business.
One of the first steps is getting a tree inspection performed, which helps identify which trees are the most susceptible to falling during a storm.
Inspections, which are free at Tree Masters, usually look for heavy limbs hanging over property that could break.
“Trees that are ‘top heavy’ can cause uprooting,” Shields said.
Top-heavy trees are more at risk when high winds increase.
However, high winds are just a part of what can put a tree as risk, as the large amounts of rainfall can also create standing water in low areas of a property.
“During storms, it’s usual for multiple inches of rainfall in short periods of time, which results in the loosening up of a tree’s soil,” Shields said. “This is the leading cause in uprooted trees.”
Removing the tree in question is not always the solution taken, as sometimes giving proper limb trimming to a tree can eliminate the tree’s weight and therefore reduce its risk factor.
Another helpful tip to prevent further weakening of a tree’s soil base is to turn off a property’s irrigation system prior to a storm, which will eliminate even further moisture being added to the ground.
After a storm, Shields stressed the importance of choosing a company that has multiple specialized cranes and arial lift devices.
“They are the best valued tools in the dangerous process of recovering fallen trees on or off houses,” Shields said. “We have found through the years, that not only is it safer for our crews, but also to limit further damage to your property by having the correct pieces of equipment at your disposal.”
Owning this type of equipment and not having to go through the process of renting it from another outlet is something that Tree Masters takes pride in because of the efficiency it produces.
“We do not rent any of our equipment,” Shields said. “We also do not rely on outside companies to help us.”
He understands when a tree does land on a house or on property, there is a certain level of anxiety that the property owner goes through.
However, there are a couple of important factors to not overlook during the stressful situation, because it could present further issues down the road.
They include remembering that trees that land on a property are now that property owner’s problem, even if they fell from a nearby property.
Shields also urged the owners to do their research and make sure the company they hire offers worker’s compensation to their crew.
“This will protect you as homeowners, if a worker gets hurt on your property,” Shields said.
