Pre-Spring Checkup: Signs Your Home May Not Be Storm-Ready

From falling trees, to flooding, to wind-damaged roofs, many people across the country have already experienced severe weather this spring. As seen in Elkhorn, Neb., following an EF-3 tornado, storm recovery efforts are in full force.

Homeowner Trysten Boiser ended up with downed trees and a damaged roof. "You can actually see a branch poke straight through and poke the siding out," he said, while surveying thousands of dollars in damage.

The insurance company Travelers reports a huge spike in weather-related claims in the spring. But most of them are not from tornadoes or floods. According to Travelers' data, 31% of claims in the spring are from high wind damage, while 26% are from hail.

Joel Poulin of Ray St. Clair Roofing suggests that you can lower your risk of expensive repairs by doing simple things now:

"Interior damage, personal belongings, those things," he said. "Long-term water can cause structural issues which are things you want to avoid."

Poulin also recommends walking around your home and checking for warning signs of trouble. He said damaged shingles need to be replaced, or they can lead to leaks and thousands of dollars in damage.

Jen Wilbert with Travelers suggests checking your gutters thoroughly as well:

"Clear your downspouts and make sure that they are flowing away from the home, so the water isn't pooling at the foundation," she said.

Wilbert also recommends making sure window wells are covered and clear of debris. And if you have a sump pump, make sure it is functioning properly.

"Often times in the spring from the snow melt, those heavy rains," she said, "sometimes that equipment gets utilized a lot more."

Lastly, Wilbert said now is a good time to check for cracked or splitting trees around your home before it's too late:

"Those leaves haven't fully come out yet, so it's easy for you to identify any trees that are dead or damaged or large limbs that maybe appear to have a little bit of decay," she said.

Poulin suggests looking for any sign of torn or curling shingles:

"If you suspect your roof's shingles are starting to fail, if they start curling up it may be that the bond is lost in the shingles, and it may be time at that point to look for a replacement," he said.

But if you catch it early enough, you may just need a simple repair, rather than a $10,000 or more roof replacement. That way you don't waste your money.