Remove Trees and Potential Windborne
Missiles
What You Can Do
Hurricane and tornado protection can involve a variety of changes to your house
and property -- changes that can vary in complexity and cost. You may be able
to make some types of changes yourself. But complicated or large-scale changes
and those that affect the structure of your house or its electrical wiring and
plumbing should be carried out only by a professional contractor licensed to
work in your state, county, or city. One example of hurricane and tornado
protection is clearing the area around your house to remove trees and materials
that can be hazardous during high winds. Removing debris and small trees are
things that many homeowners can probably do on their own.
Remove Trees and Potential Windborne Missiles
If the area immediately surrounding your house contains trees, outbuildings,
trash cans, yard debris, or other materials that can be moved by the wind, your
house will be more likely to be damaged during a hurricane or tornado. The wind
can topple trees onto your house and can pick up smaller objects and drive them
through windows and glass doors.
You should ensure that all trees are far enough away from your house that they
can't fall on it. So the distance between your house and any nearby tree should
always be greater than the height the tree will reach when it is fully grown.
All storage sheds and other outbuildings should be securely anchored, either to
a permanent foundation or with straps and ground anchors. Smaller objects, such
as trash cans, barbecue grills, and outdoor furniture should also be anchored
or, if you have adequate warning, moved indoors. You should also clear away any
debris, such as fallen tree branches.
Tips
Keep these points in mind when you remove trees and potential windborne
missiles from around your house:
-
Removing large trees near your house can be extremely dangerous, for both you
and your house, and therefore is a job for a skilled contractor.
-
The straps and ground anchors used for manufactured homes also can be used to
anchor outbuildings, especially small garden sheds, which are usually not
placed on a permanent foundation.
-
You can secure outdoor furniture and barbecue grills by bolting them to decks
or patios or by attaching them to ground anchors with cables or chains.
-
You can secure trash cans with cables or chains attached to ground anchors or
to wood posts firmly embedded in the ground. Trash can lids should be tied to
cans with cables or chains.
Estimated Cost
If you hire a contractor to remove a large tree, you can expect to pay about
$300 to $500. Having a contractor anchor a storage shed with straps and ground
anchors will cost about $100 to $200.
Other Sources of Information
Against the Wind, FEMA 237 (Brochure 2-0003; Video 0-0001), 1993
Building Performance: Hurricane Iniki in Hawaii -- Observations,
Recommendations, and Technical Guidance, FIA-23, January 29, 1993
Building Performance: Hurricane Andrew in Florida -- Observations,
Recommendations, and Technical Guidance, FIA-22, December 21, 1992
Best Build I, Constructing a Sound Coastal Home, FEMA and the NAHB (videotape)