What to Do If a Storm Hits Your Home
Knowing what to do after a storm creates havoc in your home can make a big difference in what happens afterward. It can affect everything from your furniture to your floor to your car insurance claims. If you do not make the right decisions right away, you can put your family, belongings, and wallets at risk. Recovery from hurricanes and storms can be difficult, but you can rest assured that many have had similar experiences.
This makes it easy to find the desired solution to your problems. What to expect and learn as much as you can before the storm hits you, and you will be ready to get things back on track as soon as possible. Knowing what steps you should take to repair storm damage to your home or company will help you mitigate some of the damage and know what to expect in the future.
Check Out the Damage
After the storm has passed, check your home to see how much damage the house has suffered. Not everything will be immediately apparent. Be careful of slippery areas, broken or exposed electrical wiring, and loose floorboards and ceiling tiles. Therefore, please follow the safety precautions before visiting.
Before you go out, check the local news to make sure your area is safe. Be aware of dangers such as broken glass and exposed nails. Always assume that a dropped power line is alive and dangerous. Keep a distance of at least 10 feet and alert the police and other security hotlines. Do not collect water, especially if the power line is nearby. Whenever possible, avoid looking for water or storm damage after dark.
In this case, carry a flashlight instead of a candle or other open flame. This reduces the risk of fire or explosion from a damaged gas line. Strong winds and rain can cause physical dangers such as roof collapse, window damage, wall collapse, and water stagnation in basements and houses.
If you smell gas like carbon monoxide or suspect a leak, shut off the main gas line, open the window and exit immediately. Keep the gas company and the authorities informed of the situation and do not come back until they find your home fit for living again.
Assess the Amount of Damage That Needs to Be Repaired
Before you can contact the insurance company and claim the damage, you need to take a picture of the damage. Often, these images are used to make claims more accessible to insurance professionals. There are several areas of your home that are vulnerable to storms. For example signs of damage to the roof tower. Your roof is the most vulnerable to costly damage. Be aware that if heavy debris, such as branches, falls on the roof in a tornado-like storm, the house can be structurally damaged.
The common signs of roof damage are: holes on the roof, split seam, missing, damaged or dented clapboard, granules collect in gutters or downspouts, roof and ceiling leaks, ventilation slots, gutters, or border dents. Other signs of storm damage in your home include windows and doors being prone to wind damage and scattered objects. Inspect the windows for cracks, holes, broken windows, or damaged frames. Watch out for broken glass and do not step into the broken window until it is repaired. Inspect the siding, paint, bricks, and other exterior surfaces of the house for storm damage.
Also check out outdoor equipment such as air conditioning. Look for dents, cracks, crevices, holes, chips, and discolorations. Keep yourself as safe as possible, protect yourself, remove debris from roofs and gutters, make sure the downspout is intact, and continue to drain water from your property.
In case of a long power outage and drainage pump, there may be stagnant water in the basement. To avoid the risk of electric shock, do not step into stagnant water without first making sure the main power is turned off. Plumbers can repair broken drainage pumps.
Get in Touch with Your Home Insurance Provider
Insurance often compensates if your home or company is damaged by a storm. You need to record the damage caused by the storm. Before moving or removing anything, take a picture of the damage and record the additional costs incurred by the damage. Please keep a receipt for hotel charges and other temporary living expenses. You will need all of this for your insured event.
The agent will answer questions about your claim and help you determine if the damage is covered by your plan. Your insurance company usually coordinates the renovation work of your home. So make sure you know who will come to your house and when.
Start Fixing Things You Can on Your Own
When you start repairing storm damage, start with something you can fix yourself. In many cases, the storm may not have completely damaged your home, and repairs can undo it. If you can properly repair some of the damage, you need to take immediate action, but for others, you should seek professional repair service.
Immediate repair also helps prevent further damage. If water or wind breaks into your house (for example, through a broken window), get into the window as soon as possible. This will prevent further damage to your property.
Final Thoughts
These are some initial steps you can take to minimize the damage to your home after a storm. Having your home damaged in a storm is a devastating experience. However, with a little caution and some wise advice, you can recover from the damage quickly and easily. Always make sure you have home appliance repair plan in case the storm causes power disruption leading to a power surge in your home.
