Is Your Baton Rouge Home Ready for Hurricane Season?

The Tigers are deep in the postseason, pools are starting to feel more like bathtubs and you can set your watch to the afternoon showers, it must be June. That also means it is officially hurricane season. While the tropics and gulf have been fairly quiet the past few years, you never want to be caught unprepared when a storm does bear down on south Louisiana. So while you absolutely need to fill the ice chests, buy bottled water, canned goods, and batteries, you also need to make sure that your home and roof are ready. 77% of hurricane-damaged homes suffered roof damage. Here are a few helpful tips to prepare your Baton Rouge area home for hurricane season.

• Test your gutters . Apply gentle pressure to make sure they are securely fastened to your roof. This gives you the opportunity to re-secure any areas.

• Clean and clear your gutters from any leaves or other debris. The torrential rains that can accompany tropical storms and hurricanes can easily overwhelm a clogged gutter.

• Inspect your shingles . Any loose, missing, or damaged shingles need to be refastened or replaced. The high winds of a hurricane can pull one of these shingles off and start a chain reaction that can damage the entire roof.

• Trim your trees. This is a good time of the year to trim any large trees you have near your home. Any older or damaged branches can be broken during a storm and be very destructive to your home if they are blown down.

• Inspect your attic. This is typically the first point where roof problems can be found. Look for signs of water damage or leaking. Anywhere you see light is a spot where there are gaps in the roof and can pose big problems with or without a storm.

These are only a handful of suggestions, but you should be able to defend against a lot of common roof problems that hurricanes cause by following them. If you suspect you have roof damage, before or after a storm, trust a local roofing company to answer your question and restore your home’s safety and value. For over 50 years, Cribbs Incorporated has been helping Baton Rouge area homeowners. For more information, click here .