Hurricane season officially begins June 1, and residents and property owners across the Gulf Coast and Houston area will begin to keep their eye on the Gulf of Mexico for any signs of hurricanes or tropical storms or depressions. Although hurricanes bring with them intense weather conditions such as heavy rains and strong winds, they typically develop far enough to give residents a few days to evacuate or develop emergency plans to ride out the storm. However, by waiting until the last minute to prepare yourself and your property for an approaching hurricane, you run a high risk of being ill prepared for the property damage the high winds, heavy rain and flooding can cause.
Good hurricane preparation begins by being early and proactive and not waiting until a hurricane is approaching to prepare yourself, your family and your property for the impending storm ahead. The easiest way to begin hurricane preparation is to develop a strategy for hurricane survival, and this typically means securing some essential supplies such as canned food, bottled water, batteries and a first-aid kit. These supplies are much easier to get when there is not a panicked crowd at the stores and when supplies are plentiful. Creating a hurricane survival kit means that when severe weather approaches, you have time to focus on other preparations since your essentials are already acquired.
Once hurricane trackers indicate hurricane force storms are headed towards the Gulf Coast, property owners and residents begin the arduous process of preparing their homes and businesses for potential hurricane issues such as broken windows, flooding and fallen trees and power lines. Preparing your home or business typically involves buying and securing plywood to protect windows and doors, bringing in plants and outdoor decorative pieces to prevent additional damage, and securing pets. In addition, some property owners opt to purchase portable generators so they can keep their refrigerators and air conditioning units running with no interruptions. Because plywood and portable generators are often the first things purchased at home improvement stores when hurricanes approach, it is better to save yourself money and time by buying them now. Many last-minute hurricane preparers end up making multiple trips and spending more than necessary because they are forced to buy whatever plywood or generators are left, rather than having a large selection to choose from.
Finally, a great proactive step to hurricane preparation for your home or business is to secure your trees, plants and landscape gardens from storm damage. Tree trimming is the ideal first step as it can be done well in advance of hurricane season, and improves your tree’s health while also minimizing any possible damage from heavy or broken branches falling on people, buildings or cars. Also, tree trimming also reduces the likelihood of your trees damaging nearby utility poles or power lines, which might mean little to no power loss during a hurricane or tropical storm. In addition, Certified Arborists can also secure young and weaker trees through cabling and bracing so that hurricane force winds don’t cause you to lose valuable trees that can be costly to remove and replace.
Embark Services, Houston’s premiere tree care and landscape management company, offers a wide range of hurricane preparation services performed by expert Certified Arborists and Landscape Professionals. Embark Services can ensure your trees and landscape are well prepared to handle hurricane force winds, heavy rain and flooding so that you can focus on the safety of you and your family when the storm hits. Contact Embark Services today or request a consultation today for their hurricane preparation services.
