Winter Storms Cause Additional Damage After Impact of Monsoons

12/1/2021 (Permalink)

In general, most homes that suffer storm damage do so during the monsoon season when heavy rains and winds harshly impact buildings. However, Phoenix does get storms in the winter months as well, so it’s important to know what to do after storm damage occurs. Regardless of the type of damage you incur, getting the repairs addressed is stressful and time-consuming. Preparation goes a long way to help with recovery, so keep these ideas in mind well before the next storm hits.

Take inventory of your home, in and out

It’s not a bad idea in general to take inventory of your home in and out. Whether you experience harsh storm damage or even fire damage, having photographs of the “before” will help you recover during the “after.” When you experience storm damage, taking inventory of the damage needing repairs is your first step. Most insurance companies cover damages from the storm over the entire property, not just the structure on the property, so it’s better to document all damages just in case yours does. Document any damages from the storm to the outside of the entire house like the walls, windows, doors, gutters, roof, any major structural elements of the building. Look around the entire property including the front and back yards, the side yard, storage areas, garage, and any equipment kept outside. Note and take pictures of any damages you find. Be sure to examine any damages to any power or gas lines and anything else that serves power and water to the building.

Call your insurance agent

It’s tempting to jump in and try to address the damage as much as possible on your own, but patience is the key here. Once you’ve documented what needs to be repaired from the storm damage, the next step is to call your insurance agent. The insurance company will likely open a claim, but it’s important to understand how your insurance company in particular works so you know the process. Regardless of their process, you can save yourself some headaches by educating yourself on the terms of the insurance policy regarding storm damage repairs, what is the deductible on the storm damage repair and the caps, and whether the insurance company has authorized vendors that you must contact or are you able to contact your own storm damage repair company. Knowing these, especially the ability to use a damage restoration company, is going to be very important for the recovery process.

Working with a remediation company like SERVPRO

If your insurance company allows you to reach out to your own storm damage repair company, call the one you trust; a leader in the industry like SERVPRO of Phoenix who has extensive experience repairing storm damage done to both the interior and exterior of properties. We are licensed, bonded, and certified and our techs are well trained in all kinds of disasters. Storm damage isn’t always unavoidable. If you experience after a storm, give us a call and we’ll be happy to help you out. We’re available 24/7 and will help you recover so give us a call at 480-503-2090 to get the help you need.