Ready for Sandy?

October 27th, 2012

We’ve got a day or so to get ready for what could be some heavy rain and wind from the approaching Hurricane Sandy.

• Get the leaves out of the gutters. Leaves started dropping fast this past week. Ones that slid down the roof could be clogging the gutters, which can drop water along your foundation instead of carrying it away. Be careful on those ladders!
• Unclog storm drains. All of those leaves that everyone has been raking and blowing to the curb have potential to clog storm drains, which could back up water in streets. At least clear the drains and consider  moving the leaves to a pile in the yard for now or better yet, into your compost pile. Some municipalities have suspended their leaf pickups during the storm.
• Bring in the blow-aways. Check the yard for anything that might blow around, over or away. Either bring it in or secure it. That includes patio umbrellas, light-weight furniture, gas-grill covers, top-heavy flower pots, small ornaments, election signs and trash cans.
• Survey your trees. It’s probably too late at this point to hire a tree company to remove any dead or overgrown trees that are threatening targets, such as power lines or your house. Don’t attempt to remove big trees yourself or to go up on a ladder with a chainsaw. It’s just too risky. Stick with small trees, stay on the ground and don’t try to prune anything that’s contacting a power line. If you see potential trouble, make a call and at least get on the ASAP list.
• Check the rain barrels. Are your barrels securely in place and hooked up correctly? Is your overflow plan in place? Barrels will fill quickly and spill over without a way to direct overflow from the house.