It can be distressing and overwhelming to witness a powerful hurricane or tornado affect your home. After experiencing a major weather event, it’s always a good idea to check your home for damages. Even if your home seems to have survived the disaster unscathed, inspecting each area of your home will not only put your mind at ease but also help you avoid more costly repairs in the future.
Taking the time to check every corner of your home goes a long way in enlisting storm damage repair as early as possible and keeping the structure secure. Most importantly, it’s a practical way to protect yourself and your loved ones from health and safety hazards that may arise from unaddressed damages.
With this, inspecting your property for hidden storm damage is easier said than done. To help you properly and meticulously go through your home, here’s a quick checklist of the most crucial spots to check:
Inspect the Roof
While your roof has been specifically built to keep the elements out, it’s still susceptible to damage. For example, airborne tree branches and debris during a strong storm can leave dents or holes when crashing into your roof.
Once the storm has subsided, look for the following signs of damage:
- Broken, curling, or missing shingles
- Holes or gaps on the tiles
- Large branches, leaves, or other debris in the spouts and gutters
- Damage to the chimney’s exterior
Check All Exterior Walls
While some may think enlisting storm damage repair is unnecessary, especially if you don’t see any obvious issues with your exterior walls. It pays off to remember that hidden damage can also take the form of:
- Cracking, breaking, or splitting
- Paint removal or chipping
- Dents
- Damaged, missing, or discolored siding
Solid building materials like bricks can also suffer from storm damage, so it’s best to look closely at your walls after a hurricane.
Ensure Your Gutters Aren’t Clogged
With leaves and small branches being taken by strong winds during a hurricane or tornado, your external gutters and downspouts may have accumulated all kinds of debris. Clogged gutters can cause different issues, like roof leaks, damage to your shingles, and even the formation of ice dams on your roof during winter.
Always check for dead leaves or branches stuck in your gutters and downspouts to prevent the need for more extensive and expensive repairs.
Check that No Window Is Broken or Left Open
Glass windows are susceptible to breaking, especially when forceful winds hurl debris at them in the middle of a storm. When they do break, flying pieces of shattered glass can cause interior damage, while the opening may allow natural elements into your home.
With this in mind, not all window damage will be visible right after a storm. To prevent more severe issues, unforeseen or not, it’s best to watch out for the following:
- Shattered window glass
- Rips or holes on screens
- Broken window panes
- Minor cracks and dents on window frames
Finally, wear sturdy gloves while inspecting your windows to avoid injuries. If any of your windows are broken, temporarily covering them up with plywood or any large slab of wood will help prevent further damage and ensure your home is safe from any external elements.
Inspect Your Entry Doors
Severe storms bring about high winds and water pressure that can put excess strain on your entry doors. When they fall off their hinges or sustain holes or cracks, your entry door can easily serve as an opening for water, moisture, and other unwanted elements to enter your home.
Ensuring your entry doors are still in sturdy condition after a severe storm helps you minimize the damage to your home’s interior.
Test All Wooden Structures
Wooden structures outside your home like porches, decks, and fences often take the brunt of the storm. But while the severe weather can affect these areas most, taking these steps can help you preserve them:
- Checking for chipping, cracking, breaking, or other damages.
- Watching out for curling or warping on boards.
- Securing boards with more screws.
- Looking for missing planks, railings, or stairs.
- Clearing up debris buildup as soon as possible.
Check Crawl Spaces for Water Damage
Since crawl spaces are out of sight, they can also be out of your mind most of the time. However, these areas can also experience flooding and moisture after a severe storm, and the presence of such elements can eventually lead to more costly and destructive issues.
Water can enter your crawl spaces in different ways: through improper roof drainage, leaky doors and pipes, and even condensation from the air. As such, storm damage repair may be necessary if you see any of these signs:
- Musty smells in your crawl space
- Pest infestation and microbial growth
- Sagging or sloping floors
Keep More Extensive Property Repairs at Bay
While experiencing a storm is both inconvenient and distressing, waiting to repair your home after a storm can create more costly issues in the future. Fortunately, hidden storm damage can be detected early by doing a thorough property check.
Most importantly, it’s best to seek the help of storm damage repair experts to ensure minimal damage to your home and reduce the risk of injuries resulting from overlooked storm damage. Your local Restoration 1 team is available 24/7 to return your property to its pre-damaged state, so don’t hesitate to call us to get expert help now.
