Storm Damage: What Can I Do to Reduce the Risk?
Storm damage costs the United States billions of dollars every year. With the changing climate, the cost of storm damage repair is set to increase.
Having maximum insurance cover for hurricane and storm damage is important. At the same time, you can take action to reduce the risk of damage. Don’t forget, Florida storms are often accompanied by storm surges.
Storm surges are massive walls or quantities of water that sweep inland. In their wake, they cause a massive amount of water damage. You can say that storm and water damage go hand in hand.
Sandbags Are Everything
One of the best ways you can protect the lower levels of your property against storm damage is to use sandbags.
The best advice Rapid Restoration Recovery Inc can give you is to never run out. Local authorities often issue sandbags when a storm or hurricane is on its way. You can also create your own supply.
To avoid storm damage repair costs, having a personal store of sandbags is not a bad idea.
Coping with High Winds and Driving Rain
Storm shutters have been around for a while. Can they make a property completely 100% stormproof? Probably not, but they certainly contribute to the safety of the property.
If you can afford it, you should consider having storm shutters fitted to every window in the house. In case of a storm, all you have to do is to lower them.
Storm shutters do not guarantee personal safety. In case of a severe storm, it is still best to leave your home.
Check Out the Roof
The weakest part of almost any property during severe storms is the roof. At Rapid Reconstruction Recovery Inc we believe that you should check the structure integrity of your roof at least once a year.
If that is a job that you don’t want to do yourself, we are more than happy to help you. Checking for missing shingles or tiles can help to reduce storm damage. The wind can get in underneath damaged or broken areas of the roof. Before you know it, the entire roof lifts up and goes flying.
Why Do My Gutters Matter?
At all times, your gutters should be free draining. The job of your gutters is to guide the water away from the main part of the building.
This is just as important for office blocks as it is for private residences. Leaves and other debris stop your gutters from doing their job. Keeping them clean is essential in areas of the country which see a lot of storm damage.
Yes, high winds do damage but don’t forget that storms bring heavy rainfall or hail.
Clean Up Your Yard
When we hear that a storm is on its way, we quickly rush to secure the building often forgetting about the yard or garden.
Storms do not discriminate. They can destroy your beautifully landscaped yard or terrace area. Anything left outside such as garden furniture, children’s swings, and deck chairs becomes dangerous flying objects. As the storm approaches, make sure you store all outside equipment in a secure location.
Boarding Up A Property
An alternative to installing storm shutters is boarding up a property to prevent storm damage. Doing so may reduce the risk of storm damage repairs.
Many homeowners board up windows and doors. However, there is an argument for boarding up larger parts of your building. What we are talking about here is cocooning your building.
Boarding up windows and doors often prevents water from entering through these points. But, the force of driving rain can damage walls and penetrate the cladding or mortar of a property.
Severe water damage is challenging even for companies such as ours to dry out professionally using state-of-the-art equipment.
Can Storm Damage Affect the Power?
Yes, it can. As storms increase in intensity and become more frequent, we need to consider where we place the wiring and main power in a building. Fire damage from electrical fires is not unheard of.
It happens more frequently than we may think. Soot and ash are serious health hazards.
We have met many homeowners and business owners who have had to deal with both fire and water damage.
Where is the main power located in your home? If it is in an area which is less than perfect, it could be a good idea to consider having it moved somewhere else.
Damaged HVAC Systems
When the storm is over, it is often tempting to return to the property and switch everything on.
Believe it or not, your HVAC system may have become damaged during the storm. Switching back on again can not only lead to electrical fires but can also cause health problems. HVAC systems and ducting often harbor debris and even biohazards after a storm.
Check your insurance policy but many insurance policies cover vent and air duct cleaning after a storm. Excessive moisture gets trapped in HVAC systems during storms.
Switching the system on can damage it or blow moisture into the immediate home environment.
Storm Damage Repairs to Carpet
Carpets act like sponges if water enters a property during a severe storm.
Essential storm damage repairs should include the cleaning and drying out of soft furnishings.
Why do we say cleaning? Storm water often harbors many contaminants. If water pipes have burst, you can be pretty sure sewage pipes have burst as well.
All of this is mixed together. When the water enters your home, clean water is mixed with dirty water leaving deposits behind. This is why we recommend general cleaning of your entire home.
Finally
We have to learn to live with our changing climate. It is not going to be easy. Limiting storm damage is about planning ahead. When you want to save money on storm damage repairs and control your insurance premiums preparing for a more stormy world should be on top of your agenda.