Before you know it, we will be experiencing those hot, humid days of summer, which often bring intense rain and thunderstorms. Even if you don't live in an area that typically gets regular summer storms, it only takes one big one to move through and do some damage to your home and property. Before storm season starts, take some steps to get your home ready. 
- Check out the health of your trees. One of the biggest problems is damage from falling limbs. Take a look at the tops of your trees. Are they well-covered in leaves, or do some branches look bare? Then look at the roots. Is the land uneven, causing some roots to come out of the ground? These could be signs of unhealthy trees that may be more likely to fall in a storm. If you're unsure, it may be worth calling an arborist to evaluate the health of your trees.
- Clean the gutters. Gutters filled up with leaves, twigs and pine cones will not drain well, causing water to end up where you don't want it, along your foundation and in your basement. Water can also back up onto your roof causing damage to sub-roofing material.
- If your house tends to get water in the basement, make sure your sump pump is working well, and that you have some sort of back-up power source in case of an outage.
- Have an emergency storm kit prepared. Flashlights, batteries, water, food, first aid supplies and extra medicine are essentials to have on hand.
Storms are unpredictable, and while you can do your best to be prepared, there are times when your home will sustain damage due to lightning, rain or high winds. Contact your independent insurance agent now to make sure your homeowners insurance policy has adequate coverage.