May is the perfect month to get eyes on your exteriors after a long, harsh winter. With such a frigid off-season we have had with freezing temperatures, strong winds, feet of snow, salt air, and all the elements beating down on your Hamptons sanctuary, something is bound to show some change since the fall. We love to get through this walk-in on all our weekly property visits, but you should make the time for it now, specifically before your trees fill out and vegetation comes into bloom, where you might not be able to identify an issue as easily in the coming months. A simple perimeter walk can uncover issues not easily captured from your back deck. Through your walk, keep a keen eye on these few items.
FENCING – Whether you have a stockade, PVC, or just a deer fence, you should look for loose posts, broken panels, or shifting due to frost heave. Throughout the winter, winds could have affected the position, tree limbs could have come down to damage sections, or just deer jumping through or on your fence could have created openings for an invasion. Even minor movement can compromise structural integrity over time, so better to keep everything straight, tight, and secured always.
PLANT HEALTH – Branches coming down are nothing new, but being mindful of dead, rotting, and diseased trees can be addressed swiftly and before growth spreads. There is such an abundance of insect species, some invasive, that you want to get in front of any sign of them moving into your backyard. There is no explanation necessary to describe the importance of removing dead trees before they fall on their own, wherever they fall, but also with so many very mature, beautiful specimen trees that thrive in our region, it’s worth being proactive about protecting them through proper sun, water, and fertilization.
PROPER DRAINAGE – Don’t overlook drainage areas, walkways, and hardscaping. Freezing water could bring new separations into patio stone and other unwanted cracks in places where they are not wanted. Pooling water in newly settled areas can affect the flows on your property, which can oversaturate areas or, on the flip, lead them to dry out. Gutters, leaders, and dry-wells all deserve a look to make sure ice-dams haven’t caused damage or leaves are piling in.
Walking your property isn’t just for leisure, but for proactive protection. Catching issues quickly gives you control over timing, cost, and preparation before the summer season hits.
