It is bad enough weathering a storm but when the winds have died and the rain has stopped, it’s worse when you walk around to do a visual inspection.
While you are grateful that your entire family is safe, the damage the storm inflicted on the home you have poured so much TLC into over the years will need some major repairs.
However, where should you start? What are the steps you should take in order to get things done as soon as possible?
Begin by Documenting Everything You Can See
Whether it’s a tree limb that went through a portion of the roof or water that flooded into your basement, it is vital that you take pictures immediately.
This will be ‘evidence’ to show your insurance company because an adjuster may not make it out for several days.
Bear in mind that many homes and businesses in your area were probably damaged as well, so this will be the immediate visual proof of the initial damage.
Some amount of water may dry up before they get out to inspect, so you will want to show how the damage happened in order to file a claim against your homeowner’s insurance policy.
Just make sure to take as many photos as possible for proof of what the storm did to your home.
You Can’t Wait to Schedule Repairs
Here again, there will be numerous home and business owners seeking to have damages repaired. Say, for example, your basement was flooded, and you need to have it drained and any damage repaired.
You can contact water damage companies like those in Pine Bluff Arkansas.
Although they will make every effort to get out quickly, with numerous calls prior to yours and the uncertainty of when your adjuster will be out to document your claim, you may need to schedule your appointment a week or so out.
However, if they can get out sooner, contact your insurance company to find out what you can do to substantiate your claim because the damage must be repaired.
They may take the photos you shot, or they may get an adjuster out sooner. In any case, you will need to be reimbursed, so this is also a necessary step.
If Safety Is an Issue
The one thing you need to consider is whether or not your home is safe to stay in while waiting for repairs to commence.
If not, it is imperative that you get your family to a place of safety to stay until your home is deemed safe enough to return to.
Maybe you have family members you could stay with, or it might be necessary to rent a motel room in the interim.
At any rate, you might want to see what your insurance will cover because some policies are written with emergency accommodations as a coverage in their homeowners insurance policies.
These are the critical initial steps to take after storm damage to your home.
It is vital to get those repairs scheduled as quickly as possible to minimize your stay in a motel, and close contact with your insurance company will help you understand what you can do while awaiting settlement of your claim.
The important thing is to keep your family safe. After that, everything else will fall into place if you follow the above-mentioned advice.