December 20, 2021
A major storm is a stressful event for anyone. But it only gets more and more stressful if you are a homeowner. The truth of the matter is that a major storm is a huge risk factor for damage and deterioration to your home. Many articles will tell you how to prepare your home for a major storm but few about what to do after a major storm. Here are the eight most important things to check in on in your home after a major storm to ensure that your home has avoided damage and to get your home back into tip top shape for the next storm.
A major storm has huge potential to affect your roof. While you should be checking your roof before a major storm to ensure that there are no holes, leaks or other damage that could leave your home susceptible to storm damage, you also need to check your roof afterwards. Things like fallen tree branches can rip holes and otherwise damage your roof in ways that are not noticeable during the storm. Things like heavy rain, lightning, and even heavy snow or hail can also cause damage that you need to inspect and fix post storm. Get up to your roof and inspect it after a major storm.
While this one is not technically a piece of your home, it is a piece of your home property and should be inspected and checked on post storm. As you are aware, tree branches pose a major threat to cause storm damage to your home. Falling tree branches can provide a large enough force to your home to damage your roof, windows, and walls, and need to be taken care of to avoid damage. After a storm, you may notice that previously very strong tree branches near your property are damaged, weaker, or nearing falling off. These branches need to be removed from your property, as weakened branches pose an extra threat if another storm comes along.
Your basement is the area of your home that is most likely to receive storm damage from water entering your home. Since your basement is the closest to the ground, water will flow into your basement first. This is why you need to check on your basement after to make sure there is no water damage. While water may not have entered the rest of your home, you may notice there are a few puddles or leaks in your basement, or maybe even cracks in the walls or floor from storm damage. All this needs to be repaired, and you need to make sure that if there is some standing water in your home, you identify the source and make sure it is not from a slow leak that will continue to deposit water into your basement.
This is another area of your home that may not be inside of your home but is on your property and therefore should be checked on post storm. Water has the potential to cause cracking and erosion to your pavement during a storm. While you may feel that a crack here or there in your pavement is not a huge deal, you should get it repaired right away. Leaving cracks and damage in your pavement will only lead to the damage expanding and deepening, perhaps requiring a whole new paving instead of just patch work. A professional can determine if you need new paving or if you can patch the crack. Look at your paving post storm and make sure all is well before finishing your check in.
Your windows are the first line of defense for your home against wind, rain, and storms, so it makes sense that you should check them after a storm to make sure they are not damaged. You should check every window in your home and look closely for small cracks, dings, dents, or chipping. Even the smallest damage to your window has the potential to expand overtime, leaving your windows weakened. When the next storm comes through, the damaged windows may not be able to hold up to the storm.
Your gutters are important to help flow rainwater to areas that can handle the water and drain it away properly to help avoid flooding. After a major storm, you should check and clean your gutters. Storms can deposit debris and clogs into your gutters that prevent them from working in the most effective manner possible. A clogged gutter can cause overflow, practically eliminating the benefit of having gutters in the first place. Make sure your gutters are clean and damage free after a storm, so they are ready for the next one.
Just like your roof, your house siding has strong potential to be damaged during a storm event. In the daylight, walk around the exterior of your home and look closely at your siding, and note any pieces of siding that are loose, fallen, damaged, or missing after the storm. Your siding helps protect your home from wind, rain, snow, hail, and anything else the weather throws at them. Making sure that they are damage free and secure is all you need to do to make sure they can do their job.
The last thing that you should inspect after a major storm in your home is your gas lines. Gas lines have a strong potential to break and cause leaks in your home during a major storm. Gas leaks can be incredibly dangerous for you and your family, as gas can cause suffocation, explosions, fires, and many other hazards. If you suspect a gas leak, evacuate your house immediately and call your gas company, who will send people to fix the problem right away and keep your house safe.
A major storm is no fun, particularly if you are a homeowner. Storms have a high potential to cause damage to your home. Make sure to check in on these eight items in and around your home after a storm to make sure you get all damage repaired as soon as possible.
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