Storm damage occurring to your home or business may be your worst nightmare as a property owner. There is nothing you can do about such incidents, as you cannot control the weather. What you can do is control your response, as that may determine the condition of your property moving forward, and how much money you have to spend on the process.
Below are the five most important steps you should take to deal with the aftermath of Rye, NY storm damage to your home or business.
- Stay Alert
In the hours after the storm impacts your home, you must stay alert to the condition of your property. Take precautions when you are walking around and inspecting areas where the most damage occurred.
There are likely to be many hazards in your path, such as broken glass, displaced nails and screws, debris, and other materials. If you have a family or workers, try to keep as many people out of your property for the time being, as more people being there increases the chance of someone getting hurt.
- Take Photos and Videos
Even before you request storm damage services from professionals such as Green Restoration, you should be documenting the damage to your home or business.
Take as many photographs and videos as you can manage. If you have some older photos of your property, you can send those to your insurance company as well. They serve as before and after comparison, which showcases the damage caused by the storm.
- Connect With Professionals
There are two types of professionals you must connect with in the aftermath of Rye, NY storm damage to your home or business. You have to contact your insurance company, which provides either homeowners or business insurance for your property. Then you must contact a storm damage repair specialist, as they can send a professional team to your place within hours.
Your insurance company will also begin the process of filing your claim, which will pay for a significant portion of the expenses related to repairing your property. Ensure you are promptly filling out any forms they request, and sending them relevant documentation.
Allow the restoration professionals to do their work. The team is likely to perform emergency repairs, while they will also assess your property to see what deeper damage may have occurred to your foundation and other structures.
- Prevent More Damage
Talk to the professionals who are providing storm damage services about mitigation. As they do emergency repair work, they must ensure that any exposed areas are covered up right away. That includes damaged doors, windows, areas of your roof, and other parts of the house that could result in more debris or elements getting inside in the coming hours and days.
- Keep Records
The days and weeks after storm damage to your home or business can feel chaotic, which is why you must keep documentation of everything related to the incident. That includes the photos and videos you took earlier, any documents the insurance company sends, and assessment reports and receipts from the storm damage repair specialists.
