Prepare your property for dangerous weather
Published on August 28, 2024
Protecting yourself in a storm should be your top priority. But protecting your home and property is also key to preventing costly repairs and serious injuries.
There are many ways you can prevent storm-related property damage throughout the year. By knowing basic information about how to approach repair and cleanup work, you can feel better prepared if damage does impact you.
Tree and limb tips
Falling trees or limbs are a top cause of storm damage. They’re a hazard year-round, with severe thunderstorm winds in the summer months and heavy snow, ice and wind in winter storms. Proactive tree care can help you mitigate the expensive, dangerous risks of falling trees.
Trim trees that are over your house, and address any dead or dying trees and limbs with a certified arborist. Street trees are the homeowner’s responsibility to maintain, so make sure those are in good shape, too. If a tree falls in the street, the City will clear the road. Anything that falls next to the street is the property owner’s responsibility to clean up.
If a tree or limb falls into your yard from your neighbor’s yard, it is your responsibility to address the damage on your property. If you’re worried about a tree on your neighbor’s property, be sure to talk to them as soon as you can. If you can’t reach the neighbor in person, it may be best to leave a note on their door.
If you’re concerned about limbs that overhang a power line on your property, you can fill out an Evergy vegetation request.
Home maintenance tips
Stay on top of home maintenance. Making sure exterior components like shingles, siding, porch/deck supports and railings are secure can help prevent damage. Cleaning out gutters regularly also helps prevent foundation issues and possible interior water intrusion.
Have the right clothing ready to clean up debris after an emergency. Keep these items in your shelter area with your emergency kit:
- Long-sleeved shirt
- Long pants
- Work gloves
- Thick-soled shoes
Ready.gov has good tips for preparing an emergency kit.
Stay on top of home maintenance. Making sure exterior components like shingles, siding, porch/deck supports and railings are secure can help prevent damage. Cleaning out gutters regularly also helps prevent foundation issues and possible interior water intrusion.
If your basement is prone to flooding, add a water alarm. Keep your sump pump well-maintained, and consider adding a battery-powered pump backup in case your power goes out.
If high winds are forecast, secure or bring inside outdoor items like patio furniture that could blow into your home. Be aware of trampolines if you or your neighbors have one. They often take flight in high wind.
Find your helpers
Identify and contact people who could help you in an emergency. Do you know if a friend, relative or neighbor has a saw or truck you could borrow if you had extensive tree damage?
Where could you stay if your home was dangerously damaged?
Do you have easy access to your homeowners insurance agent’s information?
If you are physically or financially unable to clean up storm damage, there are many non-governmental organizations that may be able to assist you.
Know when repairs require a building permit
Common repairs that require a building permit include:
- Replacing accessory structures larger than 120 square feet, like a detached garage, carport, shed or gazebo.
- Decks or porches, when you’re building a new one, expanding an existing deck/porch or doing major repairs that involve changing framing.
- Replacing fences. You don’t need a permit if you are:
- Replacing less than 50% of a single fence line with the same materials, height and design in the same location as the original fence.
- Replacing non-structural components, such as pickets.
- Roof replacement
Unless the homeowner is doing the work at the home they live in, they must hire a licensed contractor to get a permit. Using a licensed contractor helps protect you from scams or people who aren’t familiar with our building codes. If your repairs don’t meet City Code, you may be required to redo the work.
Before hiring a contractor, check to make sure they have a Johnson County contractor’s license and a Lenexa business license. If you aren’t sure, call Licensing & Permitting at 913.477.7725 or email permits@lenexa.com.
Know how we address tree and limb cleanup
How to dispose of tree debris is the most common question we get after a storm — and the answer depends on citywide conditions. In most cases, the City will not provide debris pickup or drop-off. After a serious storm, our staff drive throughout the city to assess damage.
In extreme and extraordinary storm situations, such as an ice storm, microburst, tornado, or any other severe weather event that affects entire neighborhoods citywide, we will schedule a curbside pickup for the affected areas. Residents will be expected to haul storm debris to the curb or right of way, and City crews will pick up and haul it away.
When severe weather causes significant damage that is sporadic throughout neighborhoods, the City will open up a storm debris drop-off site for residents to haul tree debris. The drop-off site schedule and timing is determined after the storm.
Whether there is a drop-off location or curbside pickup, City employees will not go onto private property to remove or haul debris. The City will only accept vegetative debris, not damaged construction materials.
Don’t have a truck or trailer? Ask a friend, neighbor or relative for help; rent a pickup truck for a couple hours; or haul what limbs you can on a tarp in the back of your personal vehicle.
If you don’t have a huge amount of debris, you can leave it out with your trash. All Lenexa waste haulers are required to pick up yard waste as part of your regular service charge. You do need to follow certain size, weight and quantity guidelines.
Announcements about pickup or drop-off events are released on our website, our social media accounts, and My Lenexa News, our general City e-newsletter.