Hurricanes pose one of the greatest threats to Americans each year. And while Florida is the most hurricane-prone state, many others along the Southeast are susceptible to the winds and waters of a tropical storm like this.
In most years, hurricanes kill less than 100 people. But they can still damage thousands of homes, causing millions in damage.
Has your home recently experienced storm damage, whether from a major hurricane or after a local rainstorm? There are a few things you should do before getting back to normal life.
Keep reading below to learn what to do after a storm to ensure your house is safe and won’t experience any residual damage later on.
Call Professionals Right Away
If you suspect your home was damaged by storm winds or rains, you need to call professionals right away. Sure, you need to call your home insurance provider and let them know what happens.
Your insurance company is ultimately who is going to pay to repair the damages, as long as you have a good insurance plan.
But working with insurance companies takes time. It can be days, or God forbid, weeks before they can send someone out to inspect the home. Especially if lots of other homes in the area were also damaged.
But you need to know if your home is safe as soon as possible. You need to know if you can continue living in it or need to vacate.
The most important company to call is a roofing company. Most homeowners can’t see their entire roof, but that’s likely where most damage has occurred.
And it’s your home’s first line of defense, so you need to ensure it’s repaired, or at least covered temporarily while waiting for repairs.
Find a Roof Repair Company
After a storm, you don’t have time to wait around for your insurance company to get to work. You need to assess the damage done to your home to know if it’s safe to stay in or if you need to evacuate until further notice.
So you need someone to come out today, even if the roof repairs aren’t completed the same day. You just need an expert’s opinion.
To find someone who can come now, just Google roof repair near you or roof repair plus your city name. The companies that are more likely to pick up the phone are those running ads on Google.
They are trying to get as many phone calls as they can, and they have the staff in place to answer and send someone your way. Curious as to how these ads work? Click for more info on roof repair PPC here.
Most importantly, just give them a call and get someone out to your home.
Document Storm Damage
Once the storm has passed and it’s safe to go outside and inspect the home, it’s important you look things over thoroughly. Bring a camera and a notepad. Take photos of any damage that occurred, no matter how large or small.
If there is some serious damage, take photos from multiple angles. Be sure to write down all of the details so that when you file a claim with your insurance company, you can give them all the details and ensure you are compensated for every single thing.
As you walk around, keep an eye out for downed power lines or exposed wires of pipes, which can be dangerous.
If you see these, call your power company on their emergency line so they can repair them immediately.
Work With Neighbors
If you experienced heavy weather, it’s likely that your home and yard weren’t the only ones affected. Check on your neighbors to ensure they are ok, and take an assessment of the mess made throughout the neighborhood.
If there are a lot of downed trees or branches, it may be helpful to work together to clean up. You can even share the cost of hiring a woodchipper or arranging for a dumpster dropoff to handle the cleanup process quickly and efficiently.
If trees fall without hitting or damaging a structure, they are typically the responsibility of the homeowner. If that’s you, see if anyone of your neighbors has a chain saw to help make quick work of trees.
Homes for Sale
If you are in the process of selling a home, storms can become a roadblock. You’ll want to assess the status of the property right away.
You may need to pause any showings for the time being while you clean up the property. And it might be a good idea to hire a property inspector to ensure the home hasn’t sustained any notable damage that could affect the buying process.
If a property or yard was altered in a significant way, such as losing a major tree, you may want to have new photos taken and uploaded to the property listing.
Handling this quickly can ensure your house can still sell for your target price rather than giving buyers leeway to make a lower bid.
Prepare for the Next Storm
If your home experienced a storm today, there’s a chance that another could come, whether next month or next year. Pay attention to what happened this time around and see if there’s anything you can do before a storm hits next time.
For example, if your yard is covered in branches, it might help to trim your trees back so that there’s less of a mess next time.
Lost some roof shingles during the heavy winds? It might be time for a complete roof replacement so that you have stronger, more durable shingles to protect your home.
If you a storm is on its way, take time to clean up the yard, store furniture in the garage, and give the storm fewer opportunities to wreak havoc.
Know How to Handle Storms
Most weather systems are small enough to pass by without doing considerable storm damage. But every part of the US is susceptible to some type of major weather event, from hurricanes to tornados.
It’s important to know what to do in the aftermath of a storm, as well as how to prepare for one ahead of time.
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