Houston has had its share of unpredictable weather in the last few months, from record-setting rainfall from Hurricane Harvey to three rounds of rare, below freezing temperatures with icy precipitation. While most commercial property owners have made repairs or recovered from Hurricane Harvey floodwaters, the icy precipitation from the last two months has brought new concerns about property damage and hidden dangers on commercial sites. In today’s LMC blog post, we discuss how these recent hard freezes in the greater Houston area may have damaged commercial properties, and what can be done to repair and restore properties back to good health.
Dead Plant Life
Some of the first casualties of the recent hard freezes in the Houston area were plants, flowers, and young trees on commercial properties. Many of the warm-weather plants and flower varieties found in our region are simply unable to withstand freezing temperatures, much less the icy precipitation left on leaves and foliage. While some homeowners were able to cover vulnerable plants and flower shrubs with protective coverings and fabric, most commercial properties are too large and expansive to be able to protect them in the same way. As a result, many commercial properties now have dead or dying plants, flowers, and young trees in their landscape gardens and plant beds that must be removed and replaced.
Damaged Trees
Trees are another casualty of the icy precipitation that hit the Houston area’s commercial properties and industrial sites. The snow, sleet, and ice that blanketed our region put additional weight and stress on many tree branches and limbs, leading to breaks, cracks, and tree damage. While some tree damage was obvious because of falling limbs and debris, other tree damage has been hidden because of foliage or their high location up in the tree’s canopy. Broken and damaged tree limbs left dangling must be pruned away and removed for both the health of the tree and for safety and liability reasons.
Irrigation System Damages
Other parts of commercial sites that may be damaged by hard freezes are the pipes, valves, sprinkler heads, and electronic components of irrigation systems. Since many commercial properties are not running their sprinkler systems very often because of the dormant growing season, it may be difficult to determine if all zones and sprinkler components are functioning properly. The hard freezes may have contributed to small cracks or malfunctions in the irrigation systems, and they may need repairs and maintenance to ensure full functionality.
If you are concerned about the damage left behind on your commercial property because of our recent icy weather, contact the Landscape Professionals of LMC today. Our team can assess the health, stability, and issues facing your commercial site, and can make repairs that restore your property to full health. Call the LMC office at 713-688-2435, or fill out our online form to request a free consultation.
