Hurricanes are major disasters that can tear across multiple states, leaving terrible damage in their wake. With proper preparation, you can survive the storm, either in your home or evacuating if that’s recommended.
What should you do next, though, if your home was damaged by the storm? Here are the next steps to take to deal with hurricane storm damage.
Wait Until It’s Safe
Whether you waited the storm out at home or were told to evacuate, wait until authorities tell you it’s safe to come out or return home. Long after the storm has passed, there could be other dangers that warrant staying inside or not trying to return.
Getting the all-safe notice is a good time to reach out to family and friends outside the area to let them know that you’re safe.
Conduct an Initial Damage Assessment
When you arrive home or are allowed to go out, make an initial assessment of your property. Be careful, and avoid broken gas lines, power lines, flood water, and other hazards.
If your property doesn’t seem like a safe place to stay now, arrange to stay somewhere safer. If you need to, you can contact your insurance company about assistance finding a place to stay until your home is safe again.
Stay Somewhere Safe
Once you are at a safe location, stay there for the time being. Don’t go out sightseeing. Many people are hurt or killed driving around after the storm. You might also cause traffic that makes it harder for essential personnel to get where they are going.
Listen to local media and emergency officials about when it might be safe to venture out beyond your immediate neighborhood.
Remember: do not drink or prepare food with tap water until it’s safe.
Perform Temporary Repairs
Although it’s typically best to let professionals handle repairs on your house after a major storm, it may be a long time before they can get to you. In the meantime, you may need to perform temporary repairs to prevent additional damage from weather, vandals, or animals.
However, never exceed your knowledge or skills. It’s easy to get hurt attempting tasks you aren’t skilled to perform, and it happens to many well-intentioned people after every storm. In addition, poorly made repairs can be dangerous.
Keep receipts from any expenses related to temporary repairs. Get pictures of your house before the repairs and after.
Don’t Use Items That Create Fumes Indoors
Carbon monoxide poisoning is common after storms. Any item that burns fuel should only be used outside. This includes:
- Charcoal grills
- Camping stoves
- Generators
- Wood fires (except in fireplaces with clear chimneys)
All of these can create carbon monoxide, which is colorless and odorless. The only sign you’re affected is that you might feel tired more often.
Contact Your Insurance Company
Within the first few days after the hurricane passes, you should contact your insurer. They’re busy, so it’s possible they won’t be able to do much more than give you a claim number at this time. However, hurricane response has gotten very sophisticated, so it’s also possible that they may be out quickly to perform an inspection and give you an estimate.
Contact FEMA If Applicable
If your area has been declared a disaster area, you are encouraged to contact FEMA as soon as possible to request assistance. There may be initial funds available for immediate assistance as well as additional funds later to help with repairs and/or relocation.
Contact a Storm Damage Restoration Company
After you’ve contacted your insurance company, you should contact a storm damage restoration company. It’s important to have all repairs and restoration work performed by a professional company with extensive experience handling storm damage. If these repairs aren’t performed correctly, it can result in more extensive issues down the road.
Only work with reputable, licensed contractors. Also, be aware that your insurance company may require you to get multiple written estimates before starting work.
Storm Damage Restoration in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee
If you are looking for an established, licensed storm damage restoration specialist, contact RestorePro Reconstruction. We’ve been the leading storm damage restoration company in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee since 1986. We offer 24/7 emergency response services, and we’ll arrive at your home shortly after receiving your call to begin restoration work. In the wake of a hurricane, of course, our response time depends on the local conditions and demand.
Once we get on site, we can handle every aspect of the restoration process, from water extraction to demolition to full reconstruction if necessary.
We will also coordinate directly with your insurance company so you can enjoy a smoother claims process. We can document the initial damage and all the repairs so that a lack of documentation will never diminish or delay your payment.
To get restoration services after a hurricane, please contact us at 865-343-0565 today. We serve customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.