Leaf Removal and Seasonal Cleanup
A service HRH Lawn Care handles.
Lawn and property care guide · North Alabama
After a storm: a property recovery checklist
What to leave alone, what to photograph, and the order to work through a property after severe weather in North Alabama.
First
Some of this is not a cleanup job at all
Before anything is picked up, walk the property and identify what nobody should be touching. In North Alabama that list is short and it is always the same.
Tree removal, roof work and electrical work are not on the HRH service list and nothing on this site says otherwise. Ground debris, limbs and the mess left across lawns and beds is work we do, and it is worth being clear about which is which before anybody starts.
- Anything near a power line, or a line that is down. Assume it is live, keep everybody well clear, and call the utility. This is not a judgement call to make in a yard.
- Limbs that are hung up rather than down. A limb caught in a canopy is holding energy and it comes out unpredictably. That is a job for a tree service with the right equipment.
- Trees leaning onto a structure, or a root plate that has lifted. Same answer, and the same reason.
- Standing floodwater. You cannot see what is in it, and you cannot see whether there is still a hole under it.
- Roof damage. Look at it from the ground, photograph it from the ground, and let a roofer go up there.
Second
Photograph before you clear
If there is any chance of an insurance claim, the photographs taken before anything moves are worth more than any taken afterwards.
It is also worth writing down what happened while it is fresh - time, direction, whether there was hail. A clear account written the same day is more useful than a reconstructed one a fortnight later.
- Wide shots first, so the position of everything is clear, then close-ups of individual damage
- Include something for scale in the close-ups
- Photograph fences, gutters, downspouts, outbuildings and vehicles as well as the obvious tree damage
- Note the date. Most phones do this automatically, and it matters
- Keep them even if you decide not to claim. It costs nothing and the decision can change
Third
Working through the property in order
Clear access first, then the things that are still causing damage, then the cosmetic work. Doing it in that order stops one problem making another one worse.
| Priority | What | Why first |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Access - drives, walks, gates | Everything else needs a way in, including emergency vehicles |
| 2 | Blocked gutters and downspouts | Storm debris in a gutter sends the next rain straight down a wall |
| 3 | Water sitting where it should not | Standing water against a foundation is a building problem, not a lawn one |
| 4 | Debris on turf | Anything heavy left on grass kills what is under it within days in warm weather |
| 5 | Beds and borders | Debris in a bed is next season of weed seed as well as a mess |
| 6 | Repairs and replanting | Last, once you can see what actually survived |
Resist the urge to start replanting immediately. A good deal of what looks lost after a storm recovers on its own given a few weeks.
The lawn afterwards
What storms actually do to turf
Most storm damage to a lawn is not the wind. It is what got left on it, what got driven over it, and where the water went.
Anything heavy sitting on grass through a warm week kills what is underneath it. Clearing debris promptly is worth more to the lawn than anything done afterwards, and a pile left in the middle of a yard for a fortnight leaves a shape that will still be visible in August.
Vehicles and equipment on saturated ground do the other kind of damage. Ruts and compaction from a truck that came in to clear a tree can outlast the tree, and they are dealt with the same way as any compaction - see the soil and site guide.
Then there is silt. Water that ran across a property during a heavy storm often leaves a layer of washed soil where it slowed down, and grass under half an inch of silt is being buried rather than watered. Clearing it while it is still loose is far easier than after it has set.
Finally, look at where the water went, not just what it left. A storm is the best drainage survey a property ever gets, and the low spot that held water for two days after it is the one worth doing something about before the next one.
Getting help
What HRH clears, and how to get on the list
Ground debris, limbs, and the mess left across lawns and beds. Call and describe what you are looking at and you will get a straight answer about whether it is ours.
After severe weather the phone is busy, and being early on the list matters. Call (256) 506-9006 during office hours - Monday to Friday seven until five, Saturday eight until noon - or send us the details any time and we will come back to you.
If there is anything on the safety list at the top of this page, say so when you call. It changes who needs to come and in what order, and it is better said at the start than discovered on the day.
Answers
Questions about storm cleanup checklist
What should I not touch after a storm?
Anything near a power line, limbs that are hung up rather than down, trees leaning on a structure, standing floodwater, and roof damage. Those need the utility, a tree service, or a roofer.
Should I photograph the damage first?
Yes, if there is any chance of an insurance claim. Wide shots first so positions are clear, then close-ups, and include fences, gutters and outbuildings as well as the obvious tree damage.
Does HRH clear storm debris?
Ground debris, limbs and the mess left across lawns and beds, yes. Hazardous tree work, roof work and electrical work are not on our service list.
How much damage does debris do to a lawn?
Anything heavy left on grass through a warm week kills what is underneath. Clearing promptly is worth more to the lawn than anything done afterwards.
What about the ruts left by equipment?
Ruts and compaction from vehicles on saturated ground can outlast the storm damage itself, and they are dealt with the same way as any compaction.
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Not sure what your property needs?
Call and ask. We would rather come and look at it than guess over the phone, and it does not cost you anything either way.