Did you know storm damage accounts for over $17 billion in damages each year in the United States?
Although it’s impossible to predict and prevent storm damage, how you handle the aftermath can make a difference. If you’re not sure what to do after a storm damages your house, you came to the right place.
Read on to learn how you can handle storm damage.
Inspect Your Home
After a big storm hits, the first thing you need to do is inspect your house to see the damage’s extent. However, before you start inspecting your home, you should take safety precautions to avoid injuries and avoid inspecting the home alone.
It would help if you looked out for damaged electrical lines, loose shingles, ceiling tiles, and exposed floorboards during your inspection. Before you do any inspections, you should shut off the electricity and the gas line.
Vulnerable Spots
Even if you don’t spot any damage at first glance, you should look out for vulnerable spots. Some house areas get hit harder by storms, such as the roof, windows, doors, and frames.
When you look at the roof, you should look out for leaks, holes, missing shingles, and even split seams. After the roof, you should move on to the other vulnerable spots.
If you notice any broken windows, you should board them up to prevent further damage.
File a Claim
Before any repairs can begin, you need to get in touch with your insurance company. You must gather all of the evidence of the damage before you file the claim.
Take photos and list all the damage that happened to the house to give to the insurance company. It’s also a good idea to estimate additional expenses such as temporary living costs.
Don’t Attempt to Clean Up Too Much
Once you have documented the extent of the damage for the insurance company, you can start the cleanup process.
Depending on the damage, you can start cleaning up some of the debris, broken branches, glass, and excess water. However, it’s not recommended you clean up most complicated tasks such as broken beams and other foundation damage.
If you notice the damage is too much for you to tackle, you should leave it to a professional.
Choose a Contractor
The last step when dealing with storm damage is to get in touch with a contractor. Before you settle on a contractor, find out if they have experience dealing with storm damage.
Experienced contractors will know what to look for and restore your home to the way it was. Before you settle for a contractor, you should get quotes from a few different contractors to get the best deal.
Are You Ready to Clean Up Storm Damage?
Now that you know how to deal with storm damage, you’re ready to begin the cleanup process.
After a storm, the first thing you need to do is inspect the home for damage, look for vulnerable spots, file a claim, clean up what you can, and choose a contractor.
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