What To Do After a Storm Has Passed

7/6/2021 (Permalink)

Even after the hurricane or storm has passed, its aftermath remains. During seasonal storms, high-speed winds remove materials off of your home causing flying debris, and heavy rainstorms could lead to flooding and water damage. Before leaving the safety and doing anything, you want to ensure that the storm has fully passed. Since the eye of the storm is calm and can span over miles, wait for official confirmation that the storm has fully passed before leaving your safe, interior room. 

After bad weather subsides, you'll want to bring your home back to its former condition as soon as possible. Regardless of the type of damage your property is facing, time is of the essence. The quicker the restoration process is able to begin, the quicker your home will be brought back to normal, lessening the impact to both you and your wallet. Below are a few tasks you can perform immediately to begin the storm damage restoration process: 

What Should You Do After a Storm?

1. Check Your Home for Damage

After the storm has passed, you should check your home and property to learn the extent of the damage, as not all of it will be immediately obvious. Possible damages could be: 

• Holes in the roof
• Split seams
• Missing, broken, or dented shingles
• Granules collecting in gutters or downspouts
• Leaks in your roof or ceiling
• Dents on vents, gutters, or flashing
• Cracked windows or broken window panes 

2. Contact Your Insurer

Homeowners' insurance policies typically cover repair costs for fallen trees, wind, hail, and water damage caused by storms, so call your insurer to let them know exactly what happened. You'll need to provide the policy number so be sure to have the paperwork on hand. Once you have filed a claim, an insurance adjuster will be scheduled to come out and visit the property and assess the scope of the damage. 

3. Take Pictures of the Damage 

If possible, go through the property and take pictures of any broken windows, standing water, and any other issues that have been caused by the storm. Make note of any missing siding, toppled trees, and any other exterior damage. Include images of the home prior to the storm damages for comparison, this could also be used to calculate how much money you will need for the storm damage restoration. 

3. Secure the Property 

Emergency service providers can put tarps on the roof to prevent water infiltration and fallen trees from your property. Board up windows to prevent water and pests from getting inside, and remove any debris in the yard that could be potential tripping hazards.  

4. Avoid Additional Home Damage Where Possible 

When it is time to start fixing your home, there may be some areas that you can handle yourself, if you can properly repair some damage you should begin immediately as you also seek professional help for the additional areas. Immediate repairs can help to prevent more damage, so acting quickly is key. 

SERVPRO of St. Augustine, St. Augustine Beach, S. Nocatee and World Golf Village is here to help and ready to respond to your storm damage restoration needs. If your St. Augustine or surrounding St. Johns County area home is damaged during a storm, our highly trained technicians will return your home to pre-storm condition and make it "Like it never even happened." Call us at 904-429-4457, or for more information, check out our website.