Severe weather is never fun, especially when it damages your home or other property. However, as unstoppable as the weather may be, there are steps you can take to protect your property and keep yourself safe during heavy storms.
Preparing Your Home for a Storm
Because storms can strike at a moment’s notice, it’s essential to prepare your property in advance. There are plenty of ways to keep your property ready for a storm—ranging from simple yard maintenance to more in-depth inspections.
Remove Yard Debris
Clear any debris from your yard, including fallen leaves, broken branches, and other yard waste. Keeping your yard clear prevents debris from being picked up by a storm and launched into your home.
Remove Dead and Dying Foliage
Keep trees trimmed and remove branches or foliage from areas around windows and doors. Keeping branches controlled minimizes the risk of falling debris damaging your house or car.
Store and Anchor Outdoor Furniture
Ensure all outdoor furniture is anchored to the ground to prevent it from being picked up by high winds.
Roof Inspection
Inspect your roof for structural weaknesses, especially if your roof is more than five years old.
Sump Pump Inspection
Ensure your sump pump is fully functional. It’s also a good idea to have a backup battery on hand in case of a power outage.
Chimney Inspection
Check your chimney to ensure it can be closed securely in the event of heavy rain.
Considerations After a Storm
Your home isn’t the only thing at risk during a major storm. Slippery surfaces, loose floorboards, broken electrical lines, and other forms of damage can pose a serious safety risk to you and your family. Before doing a thorough inspection of your home, be sure to prioritize your own safety.
Keeping Yourself Safe
There are several steps you can take to secure your own safety after a destructive storm, including:
- Checking your local news for safety concerns in your area
- Ensuring your property is well-lit
- Staying away from broken power lines
- Avoiding floodwater
- Immediately treating any injuries
Check your Home for Damage
After securing your own wellbeing, visually inspect your home for signs of damage. Pay special attention for signs of the following types of damage:
Roof Damage
While checking for roof damage, look out for:
- Holes in the roof
- Missing, broken, or dented shingles
- Granules collecting in gutters or downspouts
- Leaks in your roof or ceilings
- Dents on vents, gutters, or flashing
Wind Damage
While checking for wind damage, look out for:
- Damaged siding, paint, bricks, panes, and frames
- Dings, dents, cracks, chipping, and discoloration in outdoor appliances
- Broken glass
Signs of Flood Damage
While checking for flood damage, look out for:
- Signs of mold growth and moisture damage
- Pools of excess standing water
- Broken or faulty electrical cords
Contact Your Insurance Provider
Contact your insurance company as soon as possible after the storm. Your insurance provider will guide you through the steps to begin the claims process, answer questions, provide a claim number, and offer a list of local emergency service providers to help with storm damage repair.
Document Any Damage You Find
Properly document any damage you find so you can file an accurate insurance claim. Be sure to take photos of all the damage before moving it. If you know the dollar value of each damaged item, record that as well.
Prevent Additional Damage
While assessing the damage, make a list of which repairs are high priority and which are low priority. Take care of high priority, inexpensive repairs you can fix yourself to avoid further damage to your property until you can enlist proper storm damage repair services.
Reach Out to a Qualified Storm Damage Contractor
Royal Renovations offers comprehensive storm damage remediation services that restore your property to the way it was before. We treat your property and personal belongings as if it were our own, so you can trust us to provide the highest quality service. Contact us today to learn more!