Restoring Outdoor Spaces: Landscaping and Exterior Damage Recovery After a Storm

The United States experiences thousands of storms yearly, including thunderstorms, hurricanes, and tornadoes. While many people only equate severe storm damage to hurricanes and tornadoes, it’s important to remember that some thunderstorms can produce wind speeds of up to 58 miles per hour – that’s strong enough to damage your roof shingles and knock over trees!

The likelihood of a damaged lawn and exterior is almost guaranteed whether you recently experienced a damaging thunderstorm, tornado, or hurricane. If you found yourself in this situation, here’s everything you need to know about restoring outdoor spaces after a storm.

5 Steps to Assessing Exterior Storm Damage

Severe storms can lead to many issues, including but not limited to damaged shingles, broken gutters, flooding, and broken windows. Hurricanes, for example, which can produce up to 157 miles-per-hour winds, commonly result in flying debris that can damage many parts of your house. This debris can lead to dents, damaged siding, and more.

Because of the impact a storm can have on your landscape and exterior, the following five steps are essential components of assessing exterior storm damage:

1. Debris Removal and Cleanup

Unfortunately, you can never truly predict the impact a storm will have. Even if you bring your decor inside, plenty of things can still be displaced and damaged, including your shutters, trees, and awnings. Proper debris removal and cleanup are necessary in situations like this.

After a storm, debris removal is the process of removing and disposing of damaged items. For the exterior, this includes large tree branches, trash/garbage cans, fencing, roofing materials, and sometimes, tree trunks.

Before the debris can be removed and tidied up, your storm damage contractor will assess the damage and categorize it for easy removal. Identifying and classifying the different types of debris is crucial for disposal because these items must be disposed of correctly and according to local waste management guidelines. Failing to do that could lead to fines and more significant issues that you simply don’t want to deal with while you’re trying to get your house back in order.

2. Tree and Plant Restoration

As mentioned above, you may deal with upended trees after a storm. Even if your trees stood their ground and didn’t fall over, they may have damaged bark and branches, which, if left untreated, can lead to decay and costly tree removal down the line. In addition to this, you may also be dealing with uprooted plants scattered around your lawn.

After a storm, your contractor can perform or arrange for tree and plant restoration. Tree and plant restoration entails pruning damaged branches to ensure healthy regrowth, replanting what’s been uprooted, and developing a plan based on the species of tree/plant to ensure it can fully recover.

3. Soil Erosion Prevention and Control

Soil erosion is a very common aftermath of storms. During a storm, soil detaches from its location and moves elsewhere. When it occurs, soil erosion can lead to an increased risk of flooding (which we’ll get to later) and damage the soil’s fertility, leading to an even more significant loss of plants. If you live in a rural area and have crops, it can lead to total crop devastation.

After a storm, it’s essential to act quickly to prevent soil erosion. One way of doing this is using erosion control blankets—protective blankets that not only retain moisture to help plants grow but also protect the soil from rain. Another option is to add mulch, which helps keep the soil in place, even in the presence of heavy rain and wind. Not only will these measures help control existing soil erosion from getting worse, but they can also serve as preventative measures moving forward.

4. Roof Inspection and Repair After a Storm

One of the most common issues homeowners deal with after a storm is roof damage. Heavy winds can lift shingles, making your roof – and the interior of your home – more susceptible to water damage.

After a storm, your contractor will inspect the roof to see what kind of damage it accrued. During this inspection, they may discover that the heavy winds caused your roof to collapse, that the fascia has been damaged, or that your shingles have been blown off altogether.

Identifying the damage ensures that the proper repairs are made. For example, if your roof collapses during the storm, your contractor must also look for other compromised areas, such as your gutters, electrical wiring, and attic insulation. These components will need to be fixed in conjunction with the new roof.

5. Water Damage Mitigation in Outdoor Areas

There are several ways that a storm can lead to water damage around your property. The first has to do with the rain itself. If your roof is damaged, water can get into your attic, leading to water damage and mold growth inside and along the roof.

Water damage may also result from a damaged foundation caused by soil erosion. As mentioned above, soil displacement can be a big deal. When it occurs, it may cause your home’s foundation to sink further into the ground and settle. Or, it could develop cracks, which lets water get in. Whether your foundation sinks or cracks, its porous material will absorb any water nearby, leading to further issues.

Your contractor may be able to remove standing water around the foundation with a sump pump or seal up any cracks. Other common types of water damage on your property after a storm include clogged gutters due to debris buildup or burst pipes. Often, storms put too much pressure on pipes in the ground, causing them to burst. Or, they may burst due to freezing temperatures depending on where you live.

Preventative Measures for Future Storms

The types of exterior damage listed above highlight the importance of taking precautionary measures to protect your home in the event of another storm.

Here are some preventative measures you can take for future storms:

Use soil erosion blankets or mats to protect your soil and plants/crops.
Inspect your roof for any missing shingles and fix them before the storm arrives to prevent water damage.
Bring in or secure loose items outside, such as garbage cans, bicycles, decorative pots, grills, patio umbrellas, and patio furniture.
Take time to recognize the signs of impending storms – i.e., large hail or green-colored sky for a tornado.
Scatter flood bags around your home, including front doors and outside your garage.
Remove dead branches from trees that could otherwise be knocked down during a storm.
Know who to call for quality and effective storm damage restoration in your area.

These are just a few of the preventative measures you can take against future storms to mitigate the severity of exterior damage.

Restoring Beauty and Functionality to Your Outdoor Spaces With BluSky!

Storms can wreak havoc on your home, both inside and out. If your property recently suffered from severe storm damage, contact our team to help restore beauty and functionality to your outdoor spaces.

Between assessing the damage, making roof repairs, and removing upended trees, we can tend to storm damage swiftly so your property can return to normal. Contact the BluSky team today at 800-266-5677 or find a location near you.