A strong storm can do a lot of damage to your home. Storm damage is often hard to prepare for since powerful wind can be unpredictable. Wind combined with driving rain can cause structural damage along with water damage. Restoring your home often requires professional contractors to rebuild damaged areas. Here are some tips for home restoration after a storm.

Take Action Immediately After The Storm

If it isn't safe to stay in your home due to structural damage or flooding, you should vacate it and not return until authorities give the okay. If your home is structurally sound and not flooded, then you'll want to take photos and video of the damage right away for your records. Call your insurance company to find out how they will help with repairs, and call a restoration company as soon as you can so you'll be at the head of the line.

Also, if there was widespread damage, FEMA might be offering assistance in your area that could include help with roof tarps or assistance for temporary shelter. Listen to your local radio or TV for information on help that might be available to you, especially if you are low on water and food or need other assistance.

Secure Your Home While You Wait For Help

If several homes in your area are damaged, help may be slow in coming if contractors are booked solid. If you can't get work started right away, you'll need to secure your home against intruders and the weather. You might need to put a tarp on the roof to keep out rain and board up windows if they are cracked or missing. Secure your windows and doors as well as any openings in your home made by the damage as long as you can do so safely. You may also want to turn off the electricity, gas, and water at their main valves or switches if you have to vacate your home.

Remove Water As Quickly As Possible

One reason you want a restoration company to start work right away is so you can prevent excess water damage and mold. Mold can start to grow quickly on damp walls, flooring, and upholstery. This adds mold removal to the cost of restoration. If it's safe to do so, you may need to bail out water yourself to dry out your home.

Keep in mind that water from a flood is contaminated and all the surfaces in your home will be contaminated too. If you can get a restoration company to your house fast enough, they can supply wet vacs and fans to dry your house out to prevent as much damage as possible. This is something you want them to do even if you bail out standing water since water will seep behind walls and under floors and remain a mold threat until it's removed.

While water damage is an ongoing threat to your home when it has storm damage, a missing roof and blown out windows are serious concerns too. A home storm restoration service has experience repairing storm damage in the right sequence of actions so your home is dried out and the walls, flooring, and roof are restored to their original condition.