Hurricane Florence is steadily churning toward the Carolinas and is expected to impact residents of our state as well as South Carolina and Virginia. While Charlotte sits further inland, the strong winds and high amounts of rain fall will likely mean we won’t completely escape the devastating results.
While your family has likely taken time to prepare in advance of the hurricane, the question may still remain as to what you should do afterwards. When the time for recovery comes, your primary responsibility is to remain safe and protect your family. At the same time, checking on your home and taking steps to ensure any damage is addressed quickly is also important. Let’s take a look at some of the top tips experts provide for recovering after a natural disaster hits.
Returning Home
If the hurricane had your family leaving home even to stay with a neighbor or close friend, you’ll probably be anxious to return once the rain and winds slow down and you feel like it’s safe. When entering your property, do so with caution. Things that might not be immediately evident, such as downed power lines, gas leaks or structural damage to your home, could make even walking inside hazardous. Walk the perimeter of the house before stepping foot inside to see if there are indications these risks might be present. If they are, contact local officials or your insurance agent before stepping foot inside.
Protect Your Property
If damage is present but not significant enough to keep you from entering the property, this is a great time to take measures to protect your home from further damage. This could mean boarding up windows, putting a tarp over the roof or adding barriers to keep water from entering under doorways. Inside, you might need to move furniture away from a window that is broken or leaking roof and add a covering to the floor to protect your hardwoods. It is also important to contact your insurance agent as soon as possible to initiate a claim. Provide a general description of the damage, including images if possible, and have your policy number on hand when making your report.
Cleanup
Some hurricane damage cleanup is easy for homeowners to do on their own with the right equipment and protective gear. Use protective eyewear and gloves when cleaning up glass, cutting down tree limbs or performing other hazardous cleanup duties. If you notice live electrical wires or extensive damage to drywall or your home’s exterior, it’s better to wait on a professional to assist with cleanup duties. Don’t take on more than you’re capable of or you might risk endangering your own health.
Build It Stronger
Following a hurricane, many families start to think about a home remodel, especially if their home has sustained significant damage. If this describes you, discuss the damage you incurred with your general contractor. Ask them to work with you to make the new structure more disaster-resistant. Taped plywood seams, reinforced spray foam insulation, stronger lumber, metal strappings from roof trusses and multiple construction ties to the floor system for structural stability are some of the measures to consider.
Stay safe throughout this hurricane season and protect your family first. If your home sustains damage, enter with caution, make a claim with your insurance agent as quickly as possible and use care when deciding on how to manage cleanup duties. Alair Homes Charlotte is here to support our community, and we’re proud to assist with any of your post-disaster home renovation needs. Contact us if we can be of assistance.