How To Clean Up And Restore Your Home After A Winter Storm

Has your area recently experienced a winter storm? A winter storm is a disturbed state of the natural environment characterized by hail, thunder and lightning, and strong winds. In most cases, these extreme conditions can cause damage to your home.

After a debilitating winter storm, it’s crucial to take measures to spearhead repairs. Although preparation is key, the question’s still up: how do you clean up and restore your property? Here’s a guide to assist you. Keep on reading to learn more.

1. Extract Water Caused By The Winter Storm

A storm accompanied by a thunderstorm will bring water into your home. And a flood is possible. If it’s the case, start by extracting water from your home after a winter storm to start repairs.

Removing water aims to eliminate moisture in your home that could further damage your household items and increase the chances of mold growth. Moisture presence can create a cold environment in your home that could trigger health issues like colds and flu too.

If the water level on your floors is high, use buckets or containers to scoop out the water. It makes the process faster instead of using a mop. Once the level drops, use a water pump, dehumidifier, and fan to remove the remaining water.

It’s good to acknowledge the possibility of leaving some water behind without you knowing. Thus, it’s best to hire a restoration expert like Yeti Restorations. They have the right skills and tools, like moisture meters, for the task. It ensures thorough water extraction.

2. Inspect Your Home For Damage

The introduction has pointed out the extremities of winter storms and the subsequent home damage they may cause. Based on this, inspecting your home to identify any damage is important.

Start with your floors after you’ve extracted the water. Your flooring solution should guide this process. If it’s tiled, check to see if any tile piece has dislodged. For a wooden floor, watch out for softness. It shows the wood has absorbed water and is damaged.

Next, inspect your roof. Start by removing snow on the roof’s surface because it’s still winter, and follow this by flushing it with water. Doing so exposes the roof to a thorough inspection. Look out for holes, areas where the roofing material has lifted off, or missing parts.

Your walls and ceiling should also be part of your inspection; they might have come into contact with your home's water. Look out for wet patches or peeling paint. Mold is also something to look out for.

3. Call Your Insurance Provider

Restoring your home from winter storm damage can be challenging, especially financially. That’s why storm insurance is important. If you have this insurance coverage, it’s time to call your insurance provider.

Start by reviewing your insurance policy to ensure you qualify for compensation. It eliminates situations where you start filing only to be told you don’t qualify. The aim is to inform your insurance company of the damage and that you’ll be filing a claim.

A successful claiming process results in compensation, where you get funds to restore your home. During this process, it’s important to attach evidence of the damage. To do this, take clear videos and images of the damage during the inspection. Attach pieces of evidence to your insurance claim form.

The compensation process can be lengthy and frustrating; you need to be thorough. Should the insurance provider require any documentation, please avail them promptly.

4. Repair Your Home

After inspecting your home and informing your insurance provider of the damage, it’s time to repair it. The scope of work depends on the damage in your home.

For this process, it’s important to work with a professional contractor. They know the best action to take for your home and have the skills to execute the work. The repair company will know if your walls require replacing or paint removal and repainting. The same applies to your roof and floor.

During the repair process, you want to put measures to prevent future stormwater damage as well. The best way to do this is to find the water entry points into your home. Common water entry points could be your window and doors. Therefore, check for air leak areas, and seal them with a silicone sealant or weatherproof with rubber.

5. Clean Up Your Living Space

With your home restored and repaired, it’s time to clean it. It’s best to do a thorough cleaning from top to bottom. It’d help to work room by room to make the process easier and more manageable.

If your furniture and carpet were affected by the winter storm warm, clean them thoroughly while taking measures for mold prevention.

Conclusion

A winter storm can wreak havoc in your home. You need the right know-how in order to handle all of the subsequent damage properly. The discussion above guides you on cleaning and restoring your home after a heavy winter storm. It’s an easy-to-follow guide, but it’s thorough. Consider implementing it when the need arises.