Webb City, Missouri — There are several ways to keep outdoor furniture from becoming airborne. According to John Henkle, owner of Henkle’s Ace Hardware, any outdoor item that is susceptible to wind should be secured.
This can be accomplished by weighing down objects with sandbags or tying them together to increase mass.
He suggests using “earth anchors” that thread into the ground to secure trampolines, which are easily picked up by gusty winds.
One piece of advice: If it doesn’t have to be left outside, bring it inside or to a sheltered area.
According to Henkle, the recent gusty winds have also caused tree damage.
“The wind is constantly breaking limbs. I have four or five limbs down at our house, so people have been coming in to buy chainsaws. Mostly small ones to tidy things up. I don’t think the winds have been strong enough, and I haven’t seen any large trees down, but I have seen a lot of limbs fall as you drive through town,” Henkle said.
According to Henkle, pole saw sales typically increase in the early spring months, when dead limbs and branches need to be cut.
