What to Do After a Storm Damage To Your Home or Business
A large storm can wreck a lot of troublesome damage to your home. Your house is probably flooded or the roof has collapsed or a tree has fallen on your house and broken your window. Whatever the damage the storm has done, knowing what to do can get your house back to its original condition.
1. Check Your Home for Damage
The first thing to do is to check your home for damage. You can take your camera and start snapping pictures of the damages to your home. When assessing the damage, you must be careful of stepping on downed power lines as they are still energized. You should keep a distance of at least 10 feet from the downed power lines. It is not worthwhile to go into the standing water especially if it is near the downed power lines. It is recommended that you check for storm damage in the daytime.
2. Assess the Damages
Next, you should assess the damages to your home. If a tree falls on your house, chances are there will be structural damages such as holes in the roof, broken shingles, damaged gutters, and broken windows. In addition, you should inspect the bricks, siding, and other exterior surfaces for dents and splits. At this point, you should not attempt to do anything such as remove debris and repair the house. The work should be left to a professional as they have the equipment and tools to clean up your house and repair the storm damages.
3. File a Claim with the Insurance Company
After assessing the damages, you can submit a claim to your insurance provider. The claim should include photos of the damages and documentation of the costs you thin the damage has incurred. You can include receipts of the living costs since you cannot move back to your house. The insurance company will send an adjuster to assess the damages before paying out the compensation. The insurer will usually let you know the person who is going to show up and the time he is coming to visit the storm-damaged house.
4. Repair the Small Damages Yourself
After you have filed the claim, you can start repairing the damages. You can fix the small damages with your DIY skills. The larger damages can be outsourced to a professional. Repairing the small damages immediately can prevent more damages from occurring. In the meantime, you can also board up all the windows with plywood to prevent people from entering your house.
5. Seek Help from a Restoration Company
You’ll need to contact a restoration company to eliminate the water from your house. They will help you remove all the contaminated items such as carpets and curtains. After that, they will use the pump to remove the standing water before blowing dry the area with air movers. They can help you check for hidden moisture and remove parts that have been contaminated with mold.
