There’s no denying that a hurricane may be a devastating occurrence that damages your house and property.
Hurricanes and other big weather disasters do significant damage to the nation’s residences every year. Wind and rain may cause basements to flood, foundations to wash away, and roof shingles to be ripped off or damaged.
If a storm like this has passed through your neighborhood, you should have a storm damage inspection to evaluate your home for any repairs. Storm damage that is obvious, such as a shattered window, is easy to identify.
However, if you don’t check attentively, minor issues may go unnoticed, resulting in large repair expenditures later.
After the winds and rain have died down, it’s critical that you take numerous steps to guarantee your own safety while also attempting to limit damage to your property.
It might be difficult to know what actions to take after a storm to inspect your property. Where do you even begin? How do you safely assess house damage?
1) The Roof
Just like the rest of your house, the roof should be checked often, at least once a year, to look for damage like cracks, broken tiles, and tiles that have moved out of place. If you have shingles on your house, then a qualified roofing contractor should inspect your roof for wind and hail damage on a regular basis.
The inspection will help detect any debris buildup that could be clogging the gutter system.
When a storm passes through, it can cause a damaging domino effect on your property.
If you don’t check on it, the damage might cause a major and a more expensive problem down the road.
Hail may blast through the siding of the building, causing extensive damage in numerous spots. Wind can loosen or remove fascia and siding.
Look for loose siding, metal trim, and sagging soffits. Leaks may also occur if these parts are loose or missing.
Roof antennas and shingles can be blown off by strong winds. Even the best roofs may leak under adverse weather conditions. Wind driven rain can “push up” beneath the roof shingles, causing severe leaks.
Inspect the chimney and plumbing vents for any loose flashing. If the flashings are not tight, rain might cause leaks around the flashings.
Examine your ceiling and attic for signs of water damage. Look at the underside of the roof deck, and inspect the trusses and rafters for signs of water stains and drips. Homeowners may discover stains or damp residue when inspecting them. These signs suggest that water is leaking in from the roof.
Inspect ceilings and light fixtures for dampness, and use a flashlight to thoroughly inspect your attic.
Pictures are very useful for your insurance company and contractor.
2) The Foundation
Heavy water accumulations can cause home foundations to deteriorate and fail.
Examine yours thoroughly, searching for cracked or bulging areas on both the outside and inside walls.
If everything appears to be in order for the time being, check again every couple of months or sooner. Water can wash out soil beneath the footings that support the home. This can turn into a much larger problem that affects the structural integrity of the entire home. It can take time for the issues to manifest and be seen.
Keep an eye out for cracked internal walls or jammed doors. Look for diagonal cracks around doorways and windows. This might indicate that the foundation has been compromised and the home is moving.
Check the area around your home. Survey fences, trees, patios, and furniture for damage too.
3) Doors and windows
Massive flying debris, such as boulders and tree branches, can cause catastrophic damage to windows and doors. A 100-kilometer-per-hour gust of wind can easily shatter the window glass.
Look over the windows, gutters, and roofing accessories.
For a temporary fix, cover the gaps in the glass with tape, which will suffice until you can undergo a full repair. Don’t forget to inspect the frame to ensure it is not loose. A couple of suggestions to identify a loose window is to look for gaps between the window and old caulk, gaps between the casing and the window, and gaps under the window where a sill and apron might be installed.
4) Home utilities
Hurricanes can turn even the most dry basement into an indoor swimming pool.
Remove any damaged items and use fans to dry out the basement.
You must also check the house utilities that have anything to do with electricity and gas lines.
Why?
Because household systems such as the heater(HVAC), hot water heater, air conditioning, and gas are critical components, the water lines, gas lines, and electrical systems must be inspected.
Because of the storm’s powerful gusts, electrical connections around your property could be cut and severed if large debris falls across the lines. Live electrical lines are dangerous. Keep away from live wires.
The same is true for gas lines; if you have gas lines or liquefied gas in your home, you must exercise extreme caution. It is recommended that you leave the home immediately after you smell gas and call your utility company.
Natural disasters can cause cylinder and control valve damage. As a result, using it is risky since it might cause a fire or an explosion. That is why you should have the utility company inspect the gas pipelines for leaks if a gas leak is suspected.
Next up on the list of utilities to inspect is the plumbing. The enormous pressure of the storm might have distorted and broken the pipes. Plumbing leaks are usually noticed when water is heard between the walls or can be visibly seen exiting the pipes.
5) The Clean Up
You should apply a high-quality disinfectant on all hard surfaces, including floors and walls, while cleaning up after the storm.
Flood waters can include a variety of microorganisms that might contaminate your home. It is advisable to call a mitigation or water restoration company to clean up the water damage and dry the home. If no water mitigation company is available, proceed to document the damage while you clean up the storm damage. After the debris and water damaged items have been removed, disinfect the water affected areas. It is recommended that you do not use bleach, but rather mold solutions found at a local hardware store. If there are no mold solutions available, then you can carefully make your own.
If you have been affected by a severe weather event and find that doing a storm damage survey and assessing your property for essential repairs is too much for you, seek assistance from qualified professionals.
Although a self-inspection is a necessary first step in ensuring your safety, it is recommended that a professional building inspection agency or contractor be contacted for a thorough examination. Public adjusters can also provide assistance.
Contact a professional estimator or inspector right away to get the accurate, timely, and fair assessment you need for your property.