The 3 Common Kinds of Storm Damage | SERVPRO® of Biddeford-Saco

8/18/2022 (Permalink)

When you suffer storm-related damage to your home or business, make SERVPRO of Biddeford-Saco your first call.

Severe weather can be a disaster for homeowners. Many properties are built to endure the hazards brought on by a severe storm, but practically every property will sustain some level of damage when severe weather strikes.

Strong wind and wind-related disasters can send debris flying and create heavy rain, snowstorms, tornadoes, floods and lighting, depending on the time of year and type of storm. All create hazards to your property’s structural integrity.

Depending on the kind of storm and hazards created, your house could sustain varying degrees of damage. The landscape around your home, the geography of the area and the strength of your home’s foundation or building materials all play a role in determining the extent of potential damage. (We admit that there is an amount of chance involved.)

While it’s smart to understand all kinds of storm damage that could strike your area, Biddeford is at risk of weather like strong winds, snowstorms and floods.

It is never smart to remain in a storm-damaged home unless safety experts have authorized you to do so. Many kinds of damage will be obvious right away, but you must always follow established procedures to avoid more calamity.

Let’s go over the three primary types of storm damage so you can be better equipped for them:

Wind

When buildings are subjected to powerful gusts of wind at extraordinarily high speeds, this kind of devastation follows. Tornadoes and hurricanes are the most frequent causes of high winds; however, even thunderstorms can produce gusts of up to 100 mph.

Wind gusts might throw debris from your yard into your vehicles or home. When a storm approaches, it is critical to remain indoors and away from any windows or external walls in case glass shatters or the walls are pierced by debris.

You can also take precautions before severe storms to avoid excessive wind damage. Keep your yard clear of any branches, large boulders, unsecured furniture or dying trees so that a storm has less debris to throw around.

Water

Water damage is a regular occurrence during and before a storm. Even a small storm can produce heavy rains that collect outside your home, permitting water to leak through cracks in your doors and windows.

Water can also soak into your foundation and create significant structural damage if the amount is large enough.

Consider using strategic landscaping methods that allow water to flow away from your property rather than gather next to it to decrease the amount of harm that water can cause to your home. Alternatively, you can build a rain garden, which is a lovely way to enliven your yard and keep all that rainwater from becoming a major issue.

Furthermore, you must always maintain your gutters so that they can function properly and keep rainwater off of your roof. Clogged gutters can get backed up and leak down to the ground and force its way inside your property from the top.

Impact

Another prevalent form of storm damage that can have disastrous consequences for your home is “impact damage.” This damage presents itself as downed trees or debris being thrown into your home by heavy winds. It’s generally whatever makes an impact with your home or items on your land.

The best and most effective approach to prevent this type of devastation is to trim trees surrounding your property and ensure that any decaying trees are removed after severe weather sends them to fall on your home.

Weather-related calamities cost more than $145 billion in losses in the United States alone by 2021. These suggestions will help you save a lot of time and money, as well as protect your family by preventing these common calamities from happening in the first place.

If a storm impacts your home, contact SERVPRO of Biddeford-Saco straight away. Our restoration specialists are prepared to reverse any damage with industry-leading technology and years of expertise dealing with all types of disasters.

When you suffer storm-related damage to your home or business, it’s important that you know who to call! Contact us today to get your storm damage restoration started faster.