South Dakota is no stranger to severe weather in all seasons. However, our summer weather can rapidly produce powerful storms at a moment’s notice and cause damage to your home. Because of this, it’s important to have your Black Hills home as ready as possible.
Although, you cannot ever be fully prepared to face tennis size hail balls or tornados or flooding rains, you can take some necessary precautions to protect your property and perhaps help to minimize or limit damage.
Routinely clean your gutters. Clogged gutters can back up the water and cause damage to your siding and foundation.
Keep those tree branches under control. Tree limbs can be very dangerous to the area around them especially in high winds. Make sure to routinely trim off tree limbs that could cause damage such as dead branches or diseased limbs that can easily be ripped off and come through your windows or roof.
Sump pumps come to life during storms. That’s not when you want to realize yours isn’t working properly. You should check it at least once a year, and ideally perform several checks during heavy storm seasons.
Be prepared to board up your home if necessary. It’s a good idea to have extra materials on hand in case you ever need to quickly board up your windows and weak points in your home. Materials to keep together include wooden boards, tools and screws, and filled & stacked sand bags. Keeping these handy can help you to secure your home and avoid major damage.
Secure your outdoor structures. If you have a shed or doghouse on your property, tie them down with the help of two or three tie-down cables moored to the ground. You need only a few cables and stakes to secure them and the expense versus the effectiveness is well worth it!
Designate a protected place to store outdoor furniture. Tree branches and outdoor furniture can become airborne in the event of high winds. It’s imperative to have a place where you can store all your potted plants and outdoor furniture such as a garage or tied-down shed.
In between storms, periodically check and repair leaks. Check for dark spots under pipes inside cabinets, stains on ceilings, toilets that rock and any type of drips at faucets. Also inspect your roof and repair any missing, loose or damaged shingles.
Review your homeowner’s insurance policy annually to make sure there’s sufficient coverage to protect the investment you’ve made in your home. Make temporary repairs after the storm but report any major property damage to your insurance agent or company immediately.
If you are looking to downsize your Rapid City home, upsize to accommodate your growing family or are ready to buy a Custer vacation property, I’d love to talk with you. Our expertise in the Black Hills or Rapid City markets will ensure you a stress-free experience. Contact me, Jim Peterson, at (605) 574-4444 or email me to discuss how I can help you with all your real estate needs. My office is in the heart of Hill City and as a tourist spot, restrooms are hard to find – mine are always open for your convenience!
Jim Peterson Integrity Realty 