Protect Your Home From a Storm
Spring is now upon us and with it comes more frequent—and more powerful—thunderstorms. Texas is known for its big weather and the millions of dollars in damages storms cause each year. Dealing with property damage resulting from a storm can be difficult and emotional, that’s why we’ve prepared a quick guide that details how to prepare your home for an incoming thunderstorm. It is our hope that this guide will help you mitigate potential storm damages and prepare you to deal with the insurance adjustors that will undoubtedly offer you as little compensation as they can.
Prepare Early
Preparation is the key to defeating the potential costs of weather damage. Try to find a nice day near the end of winter where you can clean up the outside of your home to prepare it for the rigors of spring. Follow these basic steps to make sure that your home is ready for spring thunderstorms.
Trim any dead limbs from surrounding trees. Dead tree limbs can break in high winds and become large pieces of flying debris that will break windows and damage cars. Be sure to trim any limbs that are above your home, driveway, or any other structures that may be damaged by falling limbs.
Consider purchasing operable shutters for your home. The difference between operable shutters and static shutters is that operable shutters can close, thus protecting your windows from flying debris and hail.
Clean up any trash or small items that may be cluttering your property. In a high wind scenario, small objects immediately become potential debris hazards.
Get your roof inspected. If your roof is weak, then it is not equipped to handle a large hail storm. Find a local and reputable roofing contractor to inspect your roof and assess its overall health. If you have a weak roof, then holes can result from large hail. Once your roof has holes in it, then a whole new world of internal home damage can occur. If you have contracted a roofer to reinforce your roof, keep a detailed receipt of their services so that you know the full value of your new roof. This may come in handy if your roof suffers significant damage during a storm.
If you have a car port instead of a garage, make sure that the supporting structures are stable and that the roof is in sturdy condition. If your car port that has a poor support system, then it is more likely to fail under high winds and heavy rains.
After all of these steps have been taken to strengthen your home, carefully inspect every inch of your house, both on the inside and the outside. While you are conducting your inspection, be sure to take detailed photographs so that your property is completely and entirely recorded on camera. In the event of storm damage, insurance companies will ask you for photographic evidence of damaged items and property as proof of loss, and you need to be prepared to prove which items were damaged to maximize your insurance payout.
Unfortunately, insurance companies are notorious for undervaluing your property and your loss to cut their costs. In the event that your insurance provider accuses you of overstating the value of your property, or fails to offer a fair and reasonable reimbursement, call the Parker Law Firm. Our firm handles property damage claims and is adept at dealing with stubborn insurance companies. We will fight tooth and nail to make sure that you receive a fair settlement and that you are reimbursed for the total cost of your damaged property.
Have You Been Injured In A Texas Accident?
If you’ve been injured you need to speak with an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible. Contact us online or call our Bedford, Texas office directly at 817.440.3888 to schedule your free, no obligation consultation. We help personal injury clients throughout Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington as well as all areas of Texas.