After the Storm Guide - What You Can Do Before the Storm Damage Restoration Service Arrives
Storms can rip through your home to not only cause external damage, but they can also tear off roofs and smash windows to wreak havoc on your home's interior as well. High-speed winds, flying debris, falling trees, and hail damage often leave nothing untouched, including your vehicles.
Fortunately, you and your family have made it through the worst of it, but what you do after the storm can put your assets and family further at risk. For this reason, we have put together this quick guide about what you should do immediately after the storm, but before the storm damage restoration service arrives.
Wind and Storm Damage Repair Cleanup Checklist?
Storm damage to your home can leave you feeling overwhelmed and wondering what to do next, so knowing the steps to take can be half the battle for restoring your life. Breaking the storm damage restoration process down into steps will help you get back to normal faster and keep you focused.
Storm Damage Repair Checklist:
1. Assess your home for storm and wind damage
2. Contact Your Home Insurance Provider
3. Prevent additional damage by repairing what you can
4. Call a storm damage restoration company near you
Storm and Water Damage Clean-up Tips for Safety
Make sure you follow strict safety protocols when your property has been damaged by a storm. First, ensure the area is safe to enter and that all power sources are turned off. If you can't do this yourself, get a professional to do it for you and only enter the property when they have given you the all-clear.
High-speed winds, hail, flying debris, and snow can cause different types of damage, including flood damage, so you will need to survey your property carefully to ensure you don't miss anything. Stay vigilant for downed electrical lines, standing water, exposed nails and screws, broken glass, and loose ceiling panels and floorboards,
Always wait until the daytime to start checking your property for damage. If you must go out at night, carry a powerful flashlight and never an open flame like a candle. The electrical grid may be down, but you can still check the news with your phone or a battery powered radio to ensure your neighborhood is safe before you head out.
When you notice an exposed power line, always assume it's live and notify emergency services immediately. Never walk through standing water as it could be electrified. Gas lines may be damaged, so keep your nose at high alert for the tell-tale odor. If you suspect a gas leak, immediately shut off the main line and open all your windows. You should vacate the property until the gas company and relevant authorities have deemed it safe to re-enter.
1. Assess Your Home for Storm and Wind Damage
High-speed winds, tornados, and hurricanes can cause structural damage, so always keep a lookout for dangerous areas as you move around and assess your property.
Roofs are the most vulnerable area of a home during a storm. Check for loose shingles, split seams, leaks, dented or loose guttering, flashing, and vents. Examine your outdoor appliances like air conditioning for scratches, dents, splits, and breaks. Flying objects smash windows, but there may also be small cracks and holes not immediately apparent.
2. Contact Your Home Insurance Provider
Before you start the assessment of your home, get a camera ready, so you can accurately document your insurance claim. You will need pictures of all the damage to help with the insurance process. Include images of your damaged vehicles, windows, roof, walls, and furniture as it's likely your insurance policy will allow you to claim many of these as well.
Storm cleanup services have a lot of experience working with insurance policies and can work with your insurance company to help maximize your claim and reduce the waiting time for payout. Don't forget that your living expenses, while you can't live in your home, can also be reclaimed, so keep your receipts as evidence.
Insurance providers will usually supply you with a list of reputable cleanup and restoration services, like Best Option Restoration, who can come to your home and help clean whatever storm damage has occurred, restore your home to its pre-loss condition, and get your life back to normal as fast as possible.
3. Prevent More Damage By Repairing What You Can
Water entering your property through a damaged roof or flash flooding creates the perfect conditions for a mold outbreak. You will need to start drying your property as soon as possible. A storm restoration company will provide dehumidifiers and fans to speed up this process.
If you have the skills and the tools, you can start the cleanup and storm repair process yourself. Roof tarping a damaged, leaky roof is a good temporary measure for protecting your home's interior against any re-occurring severe weather. Check that your downpipes can still divert rainwater away from your home. If you can do so safely, try to remove as much debris from the gutter and roof to help prevent further damage.
You can board up broken windows and doorways for a bit of peace-of-mind, and to stop any more weather damage while you wait for the professionals to show up.
Call Storm Damage Restoration Services Near You
Storm, hurricane, or tornado damage is a heartbreaking experience for anybody to go through, but it can happen anytime. The important thing now is to get back on your feet as soon as possible.
While there is a lot you can do yourself, you may still need the assistance of experts with the training and experience and professional tools to help you clean up and restore your property, deal with your insurance claim, and provide you with advice and guidance.
Best Option Restoration are the experts you need. They are quick to respond and have the expertise to prevent further damage from moisture and mold, so you can get your property back to its pre-loss condition and your life back to normal.
After the Storm Guide with Best Option Restoration
If you’re experiencing storm damage in Denver, Arvada, Thornton, Broomfield, Boulder, or the surrounding areas, Best Option Restoration can help you. We are aware that storm damage can leave you feeling overwhelmed, and our goal is to instill peace of mind throughout the project and restore your property in the most efficient way possible. We have many years of experience in restoration reconstruction and all our general contractors are licensed and insured. If your property has been damaged due to water, fire, or mold we will give you the personalized service and expert marksmanship needed to get the job done right. To learn more about our services, call us at (720) 620-3272 or contact us online to receive an estimate on your project.
Best Option Restoration – Thornton & Boulder
(720) 620-3272
Water · Fire · Mold · Storm
BORestoration-Thornton.com
