Storms can cause extreme damage to your property without any warning signs and signals. To cause destruction in your house, it doesn’t always have to be a tornado or hurricane, as a poor restoration will leave you with an unsafe home for your family. Some damage is direct, such as blowing wind shingles or flooding your basement with rainwater or siding of your home. Whereas, some loss is indirect, like a tree that falls on your land, or lightning that causes a fire or overflow of rainwater.
You can ease yourself with the fact that many people have gone through similar experiences along with you. If you know what to expect and prepare everything you can before a storm, you will be able to get things back to normal as quickly as possible. Some of the possible ways to repair storm-damaged houses are given below:
Spot the Damaged area of the house
Pay attention to risks like broken glass or exposed nails. Also, know that downstream power lines are risky so, stay at least 10 meters away and inform the police and utilities as soon as possible. Use a torch instead of a candle (or anything with an open flame) to check your home at night. This will reduce the risk of a damaged gas line fire or explosion.
When you smell gas or suspect leakage — shut off the mainline of fuel, open the windows, and go out immediately. Notify the gas company and the appropriate authorities of the situation and do not return until your home is considered a safe place to live in.
Likewise, your roof is the most vulnerable to expensive damage. If a tree limb or other heavy debris fell on your roof during a storm, you may have structural damage to your home, so strong cautiousness is essential. Protect yourself and remove debris from the roof, gutters and make sure downspouts are intact to keep diverting water from your property as far as possible.
Contact Your Insurance Provider
If you have any destruction in your home due to a storm, please contact your insurance agent to evaluate the situation and decide if you should submit a claim. Additionally keep receipts for all jobs, including any renovation that you do on your own, such as covering doors or gaps in your roof to encourage reimbursement when you file a claim. If submitted with a statement, most plans will cover these costs.
Choose the Right Contractor
Hiring a skilled and reliable contractor is important to help you recover your home and restore your life. Incomplete or destitute reconstruction will leave you with your family’s unhealthy home that can collapse at any time and anywhere.
Consider alternatives to conventional asphalt shingles to help prevent future storm damage while fixing or removing a roof. Shingles of steel or structure are more resistant to corrosion than conventional shingles. They cost pretty high than asphalt, however insurance companies can offer discounts on your premium price.