Dealing with storm damage can be a challenge. Ideally, you want to take immediate action to ensure that you and your family are safe and can go back to your house as soon as possible.
Keep Safe
After a storm, you may want to check for damages. However, safety is the biggest priority at that moment. You need to ensure that you and your family are safe. Due to heavy winds and rain (or ice/snow) brought about by the storm, your house may experience collapsed roofs and walls, damaged windows, gas leaks, exposed electrical wires, and/or stagnant water… All of these things are hazardous to occupants.
You need to be cautious around exposed nails, broken glass, and other objects that may harm you. Health complications may also arise due to mold growth from a moist environment. You should call local authorities in case of gas or electrical issues. If the house is not safe enough, you may need to move your family somewhere else, temporarily, as you wait for restoration.
Assess And Document The Damage
Once you have ensured that everyone is safe, you can then move on to assessing the damage caused by the storm. To document various damages, use your camera or smartphone to take pictures and videos. This will come in handy when filing your claim with the insurance company.
You should check all vulnerable areas, both indoors and outdoors, that are most susceptible to storm damage such as the roofing, doors, windows, gutters, siding, and the basement, etc. Do not rush this process. Take detailed photos and organize them well to make the claims process easier.
Prevent Additional Damages
After taking the necessary safety precautions and documenting your damages, you can move on to this next step. Here, you can try and do some damage control by yourself as you wait to call a restoration company. Your house will still be a disaster area, susceptible to more damage. You, therefore, want to try as much as you can to prevent further damages from occurring.
With broken windows, water and wind may still be getting into your home. You can board up these windows. If you have any valuables, take them somewhere safe to protect them from getting damaged. If possible, remove as much standing water as you can to mitigate mold growth.
Contact Your Insurance Providers
Depending on your policy, you may be eligible for filing an insurance claim with your insurance company for storm damages. You want to do this as soon as possible since many other people in the neighborhood will also be likely looking to file their claims. It is a good practice to save your adjuster’s mobile number on your phone so that you can easily reach them in case of any issues.
When they come to inspect the damages, ensure that you are also present. This is so that you can ensure that all the damaged areas are covered. You can also go through the documentation with them to ensure that everything is well understood. Do not forget to present any relevant receipts. All this is to ensure that you are fully compensated for your losses.
Find a Reputable Storm Damage Restoration Company
Finally, it’s time to find a professional storm damage restoration service to handle the damages and restore your house to how it was. Ensure that you are working with a reputable company with a good amount of experience in fixing the specific damages that you are facing.
When several properties have been damaged in your area, there are likely to be a lot of fraudulent contractors looking to scam unsuspecting homeowners with subpar services and overcharged prices. You therefore need to exercise caution.
Summary:
You do not have to wait for a disaster to happen for you to know what to do. Keep in mind the steps to take after storm damage and this will enable you and your entire family to react and handle the situation better if and when problems arise.
