Are you wondering what you should do if your home is affected by hurricane damage? After a storm has damaged your home it can be shocking and you may not know how to proceed.
To prepare yourself for an upcoming storm or to assess the hurricane damage in your own home, keep reading. After a storm, you want to proceed with caution to ensure the best outcomes for you and your family’s safety, the protection of your home, and for the safety of your wallet.
Assess Your Home for Damage
As soon as you are completely sure that it is safe to do so, you will want to assess your home for damage after a hurricane. Keep in mind that not all storm damage is visually obvious at first. For this reason, you want to look for areas that are slippery, areas in which electrical lines are exposed or broken, as well as any loose floorboards or ceiling tiles.
It’s important to make sure that you check with your local news station to check the exterior of your home to make sure it’s safe to be outside after the storm passes. Also, preceded with caution and look for any potential hazards such as exposed nails, metal, or broken glass. If you see that power lines are broken or damaged, contact your local utility company and stay at least ten feet apart from the lines as they may still be energized and dangerous.
You should also avoid standing water, as there could be damaged power lines that you can’t see. If you smell any gas or carbon monoxide this may be a sign of a leak. If this is the case, you will want to turn off your main glass line and open the windows of your home if possible to air out the toxins.
If you smell carbon dioxide and it is safe to go outside, do so immediately and call your local gas company or any other proper authorities for assistance.
Document Damage
As you assess the storm’s damage to your home, you will want to document this damage before reaching out to your insurance company. You will need proof of the damage done to your home and can do so by taking photos of the damage. This evidence will help the insurance adjuster assess the damage as well as how much you will receive for repairs.
One area of your home that is most susceptible to storm damage is your roof as debris such as trees can land on your roof cause holes, leaks, and dents. If this is the case, you will want to call your local roofing company for repairs.
Assessing Hurricane Damage After a Strom: An Overview
After a storm, you will want to assess the hurricane damage both in and outside of your home but it’s important to do so with caution. Keep these tips in mind to fix your home after a storm.
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