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How To Deal With Storm Damage in Hunterdon County
7/31/2020 (Permalink)
Above is damage to a local Flemington home due to a fallen tree.
When tornadoes, hurricanes, microbursts, or even snowstorms come through Hunterdon County, they can cause thousands of dollars worth of storm damage to your home or business. These damages can quickly become overwhelming and require help from a professional storm damage cleanup & restoration company.
Here, we will go over the types of weather damage and what you should do when it strikes your home.
In need of immediate assistance? Call SERVPRO of Greater Hunterdon County 24/7 - 908-788-8770
Types of Storm Damage
Impact Damage
This type of damage results from things hitting your property. That can be anything from falling trees or tree branches, strong winds from hurricanes or tornadoes slamming large items into your home, or even fallen power lines. One fallen tree has the power to demolish an entire building - Impact damage can cause the most destruction to your home or business.
Wind Damage
Strong winds can cause impact damage to your home, but they can do a lot of damage on their own as well. When winds are strong enough, they can lift the roof shingles of your home and result in a considerable amount of wind damage to your roof. Strong winds also have the ability to peel back the siding of your home.
If you suspect roof storm damage to your home, it’s a good idea to have a company come out to do a roof inspection to be sure no repairs are needed. It’s important to address wind damage, even when it seems small, to ensure that no rain enters through exposed areas and causes water damage to the structure.
Flood Damage
When rains are heavy enough for a prolonged amount of time, many times many homeowner’s basements flood. When heavy rains are also paired with wind or impact damage, homes are also at risk for flooding.
Hail Damage
Severe storms can produce hailstones sometimes as large as a softball. Since hailstones are heavy, abnormal in size, and have rough edges, they can easily puncture your roof or dent your siding.
Signs of damage from a hailstorm are split shingles, dark-colored impact marks, or visible roof felt. Acting on these signs once you identify them can save you costly water damage repairs in the future!
Lightning Damage
A lightning strike to a tree or power line can cause impact damage to your home, but it can also cause damage on it’s own. If lightning strikes your home, it can be at risk for a fire, as well as resulting smoke damage or even water damage from the firefighting efforts.
What To Do After Storm Damage
Wait until it is safe to go outside. You should wait until the storm has passed to see if there’s any damage to your home. If something has majorly damaged your home, you will likely know without going outside to see it.
Inspect for damages. Look for signs of roof storm damage, pulled back siding, or any water leaks inside your home. Take photos of any damages for your insurance company.
If needed, turn off the power and the gas. This is usually only necessary in major flooding situations or if lightning strikes your home. This step is important to keep yourself and those who come to help safe.
Contact your insurance company. Review your homeowner’s policy to see if your damages will be covered. Your insurance company can also advise you on the next steps you should take. If needed, our Project Managers can help review your policy, let you know if your damages will be covered, and even help file the claim.
Call a storm damage restoration company to prevent further damage to your home. When you have water leaks, flooding, or holes in your roof due to weather damage, you’ll need to address the issues quickly.
A storm damage company can tarp and holes in your roof, board up any broken windows, and begin emergency water mitigation services as needed. SERVPRO of Greater Hunterdon County provides these services 24/7, and can even handle the rebuilding afterwards.
Is Storm Damage Covered by Homeowner’s Insurance?
The standard homeowner’s insurance policy does cover most types of storm damage. That includes wind, hail, lightning, and impact damage. These damages are covered because they are unpredictable and there are no steps you could’ve taken to prevent these events from happening.
Covered becomes spotty when it comes to water damage or flooding. Water damage that resulted from the damages covered above will be covered by your insurance company. But, many times flooding is not covered by your policy. If flooding isn’t caused by any of the covered damages, it will likely not be covered unless you have supplemental flood insurance.
Basement flooding from storms is usually not covered because it is groundwater. This type of flooding can be avoided by installing a sump pump, floor drains, or waterproofing your basement - that’s why it’s not covered.