Hurricane Damage Repair

First thing’s first – BE SAFE! You should first make sure that there are no exposed power lines surrounding your home. If there are downed power lines, call 911 and remain a safe distance away. You should also wait until flood water has receded to reduce risk of injury. 

Now, you can begin to assess the damage (both interior and exterior) and document it with photos. Photos can help speed up the claim process and even help contractors when they do a more thorough inspection of your property and home. Do a quick survey of the exterior to find any glaring structural damage to your roof, windows, doors, fence, shed, pool, etc. If you see any pieces or large sections of shingles or tile missing, you will want to deal with that immediately to prevent further damage to the home. The same is true with windows. 

That brings us to the inside of your home. Be on the lookout for flood residue, standing water, or water spots on your floors or walls. This suggests flood damage and you will need to reach out to a water mitigation / flood restoration contractor to begin the clean-up process. Many contents, such as carpet, furniture, appliances, etc. that came in contact with flood water will need to be removed and thrown away. Drywall may also need to be removed to the height of the water level of the flood. Ceiling water marks could indicate roof leaks and should be dealt with as soon as possible.

The three main culprits of hurricane damage are wind, flooding, and mold. 

Wind damage from a hurricane depends on the severity or category of the storm. A Category 1 hurricane has sustained winds of 74-95 mph while a Category 5 hurricane has winds speeds that exceed 157 miles per hour. Most roofs in the state of Florida are required to have specific fasteners and shingles or tiles that can withstand ~100 mph wind. That being said, large hurricanes can exceed those amounts and can result in debris striking your home – which shingles and tile are not designed to withstand. 

Flood damage from a hurricane occurs from either the storm surge associated with the hurricane or flash flooding from creeks and storm water systems massively overflow. Flood water may become contaminated with sewage or chemicals, which can ruin any contents or surfaces it touches. Flooding and storm surges can also cause structural damage to your home and, in some cases, result in large debris impacts. 

Mold is typically the result of flooding and water damage as warm temperatures combine with moisture or standing water. Mold can grow on contents, walls, surfaces, etc., and can be very harmful to your health. Mold must be dealt with ASAP to prevent further spread throughout the home.

Your best bet is to call a local, certified, licensed contractor after a hurricane. These professionals will provide you with a very detailed inspection of both the interior and exterior of your home as well as perform any emergency repairs needed to secure your home before a full restoration can be completed. In fact, many insurance policies put the onus on the homeowner to perform or coordinate the initial emergency repairs. You may need to hire professionals to perform multiple trades such as roofing, tree removal, water mitigation, etc., but many can provide all the services that you will need. You will also want to file a claim with your insurance company. All insurance carriers have specific claims hotlines and most allow you to file claims online. It is usually best practice to have a professional contractor inspect your home before you file a claim so that you can communicate more accurately the extent of the damages at the beginning of the claims process. You can always amend the claim later but that may cause delays.

The three main things to consider when hiring a hurricane restoration contractor: license, local, and certified. 

Whenever there’s a disaster, all kinds of people come out of the woodwork to take advantage of the opportunity. A simple search on https://www.myfloridalicense.com/ can let you know if the company is legitimate and in good standing. Hiring a local hurricane restoration contractor is preferable because they have experience with the exact kind of work that needs to be done. They also understand all the nuances of Florida building codes, which can vary from city to city. A license search will reveal address information that you can cross reference with a simple Google search. Certifications are also an important part of vetting hurricane clean up companies. Find out what trades they are certified to perform. Certifications can be an indicator of the quality of training and experience that their workers have. Ideally, you will want to find a contractor that can perform multiple trades or services, like roofing and water damage restoration. That reduces the amount of work you must do as a homeowner to coordinate these repairs and can make the process faster as they can better plan and optimize their scheduling.

The two main ways to file a hurricane damage claim are by phone or online. For your convenience, we have put together a comprehensive list of all licensed insurance carriers that operate in the state of Florida. Click Here to see the insurance claim contact list. Make sure that you have your policy handy when filing a claim as you may be asked to provide specific policy information that you might not know off hand. Also, if you file online you may need to first create an account or profile. 

The two primary ways to clean your home after a hurricane flood are Water Mitigation and Mold Detection and Remediation. Water Mitigation deals mainly with removing water and moisture from your home. This includes water extractions (pumping, draining, vacuuming, etc.), dry-out (industrial fans and dehumidifiers) and restoration (preemptively removing building materials that have been exposed to flood water).  Mold Detection and Remediation detecting mold and using chemicals to remove it from contents and surfaces throughout your home. You may also have additional cleanup on the perimeter of your home such as removing downed trees and other large debris.