Now that Tropical Storm Lee has passed us by, it seems a good time to urge all you homeowners to be prepared for the next time we see one of these close up.
First, clean your gutters out. They're sure to have a lot of debris that will lower their effectiveness in the next rain.
Second, consider your windows. Any leaks? Rattles or loose pieces? Panes that need to be reglazed? (Hint, if the glazing is missing, dried up, cracked, or generally looks ancient, it should be addressed.)
Third, are your shutters in good, operable condition? If you don't have shutters, do you have plywood already cut to cover your windows in the event of a big one? And is it accessible, or buried under a thousand paint cans or a compost pile?
Fourth, how is your roof? Check your ceiling, attic, and rooftop for leaks, loose shingles, floppy flashing, exposed nails, missing or dried and cracked caulking. Even if you didn't have leaks during Lee, investing in some maintenance work by a roofing contractor could save you from spending a lot more money with roofers and a lot of other contractors in the future.
Finally, back to the windows: can you open yours? If not, will your central air system work if the next storm knocks out power? Air conditioning has convinced many people to caulk their windows shut -- a terrible idea if you ever lack power. Plus, Lee seems to have blown in autumn, a time of year when a one-time investment in window screens could allow you to turn off that central air machine for a couple months.