Protect your Roof (and family!) during Hurricane and Severe Weather Season

9/4/2019

No matter where you live, there is always a chance of severe weather and roof damage.

For coastal residents, in areas like Florida, Louisiana, Georgia and the Carolinas, the risk may be hurricanes. Massive monster storms packing wind speeds of more than 120+ mph and torrential rain. In Oklahoma and Kansas, you are facing tornado alley. New England has blizzards, and Arizona and Texas blistering heat.

No matter where you are, there is always a risk for severe weather.

Prepare for Hurricanes and Other Weather Risks

The first step to preparing for a hurricane is to address the risk. Ignoring a potential weather risk won’t make it go away. You need to be prepared. Here are a few tips to protect your home and family:

• Weatherproof your home. While all homes in high-risk areas like Florida should meet regulations, it pays to make sure your home meets the weather standard. Have an expert or inspector review your home before storm season. A little preventative work can keep your family safe and save you money in the long run.

• Review your insurance. If disaster does strike, it will be too late to update your insurance policy. Review your coverage with an insurance agent. Make sure your policy is up to date and make changes if necessary. As severe weather increases, it’s important you regularly check your coverage.

• Connect with local contractors early. When disaster hits, reputable and well-reviewed contractors will be in high demand. Get ahead of the demand by reaching out to select contractors early. Let them review your home and get an idea of their pricing and capability. That way, you’re ready when severe weather hits and aren’t scrambling to find a repair service.

What to do after Severe Weather Hits

Your immediate goal after severe weather hits is to ensure the health and safety of your family and friends. After that, you need to focus on the health of your home. Here are a few tips.

• Photograph the damage. Take a few minutes to take photos of any damage from severe weather. Having your own record of the damage, with a time stamp of when the photo was taken, can give you peace of mind and protection.

• Contact your insurance company. It will take time to process your claim. Get the claims process started as soon as you can to prevent delays in your payment or repairs to your home.

• Contact a repair service or contractor. Contractors and repair services will be in high demand after severe weather. Service calls will likely be on a first come, first served basis. Get your name in and schedule service as soon as possible, otherwise there may be a long delay for help.

• Reach out to local aid organizations. Keep in mind, you don’t have to handle any damage along. In the aftermath of severe weather, there will likely be aid organizations in the area helping those in need. Contact them for help, or to provide aid when and where you can.

Getting Ahead of the Storm

Severe weather can strike with little warning. Scientists are predicting the frequency and severity of weather will increase. It is important to stay ahead of trouble with a few preventative steps, such as the steps we’ve detailed here.

These steps can keep you, your family and your home safe during severe weather.