Texas deals with more tornados each year than any other U.S. state. It’s an average of 132 tornadoes each year, most of them in May. They can happen just about any time of the year, though. By the end of March 2022, there had already been 59 tornadoes resulting in $13,159,000 in property damage.
Tornadoes are dangerous, damaging things. In addition to the risk they pose to human life, they often result in costly damage. This damage typically includes broken or fallen trees, like the four trees that a tornado took out at my parent’s place earlier this year. Even if damage doesn’t touch properties you own directly, damage in the community might take out power for days.
With tornadoes such a danger in Texas, it’s a good idea to be prepared for the chance of one going through your neighborhood. Chainsaws are one of the most important pieces of power equipment. They’re the best tool for handling broken trees and other debris from strong storms. Generators are also useful to supply backup power for homes and businesses. Powered cleanup tools like blowers and brushes can also be a big help.
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Chainsaws to Cut Broken Trees
A quality chainsaw makes it easy to cut fallen trees and branches into manageable pieces for easier cleanup. Usually, the type of chainsaw used for cutting firewood will be able to handle after-storm cutting tasks. For larger trees, though, a commercial chainsaw can be useful. For trees that are partly broken with limbs hanging down, you can often use a pole pruner tool or a multitool with a powered pruner attachment.
When buying a new chainsaw, you’ll have the option to choose between gasoline or battery-powered. If you purchase from a reliable brand like STIHL or Echo, both types of saws are reliable and powerful. Battery-powered saws are quieter to use, have no engine emissions, and are easier to maintain. Gasoline-powered saws are easier to refuel, and some are more powerful so they can tackle challenging cutting tasks.
It’s important to wear protective equipment like safety glasses, gloves, and sturdy boots any time you’re working with a chainsaw. Be extra careful when cleaning up after a storm. Sometimes the way trees break can make them extra hazardous to cut. If you can’t reach a broken branch safely from the ground or there’s a risk of the tree falling toward you or a house, bring in a professional arborist.
Further Reading:
- How To Choose A Good Chainsaw For Cutting Firewood
- Comparing Our Commercial Chainsaws: Which One is Best for You?
- Buying Guide: Choosing The Best Battery Powered Chainsaw
Generators for Backup Power
A reliable generator can be invaluable in case of a power outage after a tornado or bad storm. At home, generators can prevent food from spoiling in refrigerators and freezers. They can also provide power for cooking, lights, air conditioners, computers—pretty much whatever you might need to run during an outage. What appliances and equipment you can power depends on the type of generator you buy.
When shopping for a generator, start by thinking about what you need the generator to do. If you want it to power your whole home or business, then a powerful standby generator will be the best choice. If you just need to power a few appliances or you want something you can move around, a portable generator will be a better choice. Here at Richardson Saw, we carry Honda generators. You can use Honda’s online wattage calculator to find the perfect generator to fit your needs.
- Further Reading:
- How To Choose The Right Backup Power Generator For Your Home Or Business
- Which Generator Should I Buy? Four Factors That Will Help You Pick The Right Portable Power Generator
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Cleanup Tools for the Yard
Chainsaws will help you cut fallen trees and branches down to a manageable size. But once you’ve cleared the big things away, there’s often a lot of debris left over. Leaves and branches may still litter the yard. There could also be trash or other debris on the lawn that the storm blew in.
For cleaning up that type of debris, blowers and shredder/vacuums are a big help. Blowers push debris like fallen leaves and light branches around so you can gather them up. Shredder/vacs suck up leaves, twigs, and other debris and chop them up into tiny bits. Shredded yard debris takes up less room in trash bags if you’re throwing it out. Depending on what you’re chopping up, you could also use it for mulch or put it on a compost heap.
Some shredder/vacs can also convert to blowers, depending on the model. Another option is to get a blower as part of a multi-tool set. If you opt for a multi-tool, you can swap the blower attachment out for other clean-up tools. These include bristle brush and rubber-paddle sweeper attachments. Those sweepers can be a big help when cleaning up debris on pavement.
Further Reading:
- Get To Know Your Outdoor Clean-Up Tools: Shredders, Vacuums, Blowers, and Sweepers
- How to Use Multi-Tools All Year-Round
- Buying Guide: Choosing the Best Blower
Richardson Saw Can Help
As one of the Dallas-Forth Worth area’s largest multi-line dealers, Richardson Saw is a great place to come when you’re looking for power equipment to deal with the effects of tornados and storms here in Texas. Even if you haven’t had to deal with storm damage or power outages, it never hurts to be prepared.
You can stop by in person at Richardson Saw & Lawnmower to see what we have in stock and chat with knowledgeable professionals. We’ll be happy to help you figure out which chainsaw, generator, blower, and/or multi-tool attachments will work best for you. You’re also welcome to browse our online store to see what we offer.
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