Planning for Hail – Measures to Keep Your Property Safe

Planning for hail is the best way for homeowners and business owners to avoid storm damage in hail-prone regions and in quiet areas that get only one or two milder storms a year. Don’t expect our preparations to prevent all and any damage to your items – you cannot be everywhere, you cannot hold all your roof tiles or shingles in place while high winds are raging and large balls of ice are falling from the sky, but a proper plan can significantly reduce the harm caused by hail storms and will also reduce the time you need to spend cleaning up after the storm. Here is how to prepare for hail.

roof damage repair

Preparing the House and/or Business, Inside and Outside

Start preparing your home/business for hail from top to bottom. Go up on the roof and inspect it for any weak points, such as damaged surface components, cracked or corroded flashing, loose or damaged gutters and fix all these minor issues before the next storm hits. Schedule an annual professional roofing inspection as well. For your business, schedule a roofing inspection with commercial roofing companies in Michigan to make sure your roof is in good shape and can withstand a severe storm.

Prepare the siding on your business as well – damaged or improperly fixed panels can be easily torn off by the high winds associated with hail storms and hail stones can also harm siding panels that are weak.

The openings on your home also need protection. Install strong blinds or shutters to protect the glass in your windows and check the areas around the doors and windows for cracks that need to be caulked for enhanced integrity.

When you are done prepping your building from the outside, prep the home/business interior, too. As an extra precaution measure, install drapes on the windows – you can draw them to prevent accidents caused by shattered glass. If a very strong storm is announced, collect important documents, valuables, food and medication and move them to a windowless safe room. Make sure all your cell phones and laptops are charged and unplug all the appliances that you don’t need to reduce of risk of damage and electrical fires.

Hardscape and Landscape Preparation

The hardscaping and the vegetation in your yard and garden also need to be prepped for extreme weather. Start with your deck or patio – remove all outdoor furniture, then inspect the boards and other components of the decking, repair or remove any damaged parts and make sure all the components are properly fastened and able to resist high winds.

Take care of your plants as well – prune the trees and the bushes to remove dead branches that could be torn off by the winds and thrown at your building and deadhead the flowers to make them stronger.

Your cars also need protection, so make sure your garage is functional and clutter-free to be able to move your vehicles inside quickly when you see the storm approaching. If you don’t have a garage, park your car in an area that is not surrounded by trees – large trees might be damaged by strong hail and falling branches can cause serious damage to your car.

Properly planning for hail is essential to reduce the damaged sustained by your property to the minimum, so try to fix and to fortify everything inside and outside the home or business and the storm will surely pass leaving behind only minor problems.