Service Restoration - Damage Restoration Services
From early June to late November, hurricanes threaten homes across the East Coast and Gulf of Mexico, causing extensive damage. Millions of homeowners likely wonder what they can do to protect their homes from the assault of heavy wind and rain. Here are some steps to be performed ahead of time that will help safeguard your home from future storms.
Storm-guard your home
Hurricanes generate nasty winds and rain that attack structural integrity. Below are a few steps that will help fortify your home.
Brace your garage door
While many believe the roof is the most vulnerable aspect of a house, the garage door contributes to more damage. Because garage doors are rarely reinforced, wind enters the garage creating a positive push while wind above the home creates a negative a pull. This push-pull combination can cause the roof to fly off. To prevent this, purchase a kit to brace your garage door.
Service Restoration is a leading disaster recovery company helping property owners with storm and water damage
● Secure windows and doors
Secure windows and doors using commercially purchased storm shutters for best protection. Boarding up windows works as a last-minute solution as well. Ensure that your doors have multiple locking mechanisms such as deadbolts so that they don’t fly open. It is necessary to secure windows and doors on all sides of your home ᠆ not just the ones facing the body of water ᠆ because hurricanes can progress in any given direction.
● Strap down your roof
In order to reduce potential roof damage, use hurricane straps or clips to fasten your roof to the frame of the house. Fix and loose tiles or shingles with roofing cement to prevent them from becoming deadly projectiles during the storm.
2. Trim your trees
Broken limbs can cause extensive damage to your home and surrounding homes; insurance may not cover all the expenses. Keeping trees and shrubs trimmed can help them to resist wind and reduces the chance of damage. Also make sure there are no dead sections of limbs threatening your home, dead branches will break more frequently.
3. Update your insurance coverage
Home insurance policies vary greatly ᠆ make sure you have the right coverage. Standard homeowner’s insurance may or may not cover wind damage. A separate wind policy may need to be purchased. Homeowners insurance also does not cover flooding. You must purchase government backed flooding insurance to protect your home from future storms. If the storm is already on its way, it is too late to change or update your plan. However, it is still beneficial to review your current coverage. Simply, contact your provider to familiarize yourself with the details of your coverage and prepare for future storms.
4. Take inventory
Taking inventory of your home and possessions before the storm makes the process of filing a claim and returning back to everyday life all the simpler. The easiest way to document your belongings is by taking pictures. Make sure to take pictures both close up and zoomed out to provide the best evidence to support the claim.
