24/7 Emergency Service
What Should You Do After Your Home Suffers Storm Damage? | SERVPRO® of Downtown Charleston
5/19/2022 (Permalink)
If you discover storm damage to your home or business, you can count on SERVPRO® of Downtown Charleston.
As the spring season comes into full effect, so does the intensity of storms, bringing in whipping winds, heavy rain, lightning and the ever-so-common storm surges and floods. Between these unpredictable weather events, it’s a surprise that our structures and property don’t suffer more damage than they already do.
Here in Charleston, we face an added risk, living near the coast. Even further inland, rivers and creeks run throughout our state and have proven to cause flooding in every area. In fact, there are over 300,000 properties in South Carolina that face significant flood risks over the next 30 years.
Though extreme weather events come in all shapes and sizes, the damage they cause is always something to take seriously. Here are some tips on getting through the aftermath of storm damage.
If the storm that just passed through was powerful enough to damage your home, odds are you spent plenty of time in a crowded closet or bathroom taking cover from the destruction outside. It’s important to take a moment and reconnect with everyone, taking deep breaths and assessing each other for any injuries.
This is a good time to talk through how your response to last night’s emergency either worked or did not work. It allows you to figure out flaws in your preparations and improve them so you’re ready for the next disaster.
Once you’ve ensured that everyone is OK and that it’s safe to exit the home, take a walk outside and analyze your property. Take photos on your cellphone of everything that is even minimally damaged, as this evidence will come in handy later so the insurance company can understand the extent of the damage.
More often than not, it’s safer to leave your home as it is so the emergency response team can properly handle your home repairs. However, sometimes the damage has become so severe that it can actually cause more damage if left alone.
Making temporary repairs may be required to keep your home from being further destroyed, and if possible, you should do this immediately. Be sure to keep any and all purchase receipts so they can be added to the insurance filings, and follow these tips to help you handle that claim.
Once you’ve addressed the needs of your family, the immediate needs of home repairs and spoken to your insurance company, give the experts at SERVPRO of Downtown Charleston a call. We’re available 24⁄7 and have an impressively quick response to all disasters.
By following these steps, and remembering to call the expert team in green, you can be better prepared for the storms ahead.
If you discover storm damage to your home or business, you can count on SERVPRO to handle the restoration. We’re here 24⁄7 to spring into action—get in touch with us today.