When storms sweep through, your home may suffer. However, storm damage does not have to spell the end for your home. When you take the right steps, you can remodel, rebuild and make your home better than ever.

 

Look for Problem Areas

 

First, you will need to assess your home for damage. Not only will this ensure your own safety when reentering your home, but also it will help you get a good idea of what you need to have repaired. Be sure to head to your basement to check for water damage and to ensure that your furnace or water heater are still working properly. You may even want to take pictures of the initial damage.

 

Contact Your Insurance Team

 

Once you get a good idea of what may be wrong with your home, it is time to call in your home insurance team. The extent of storm damage around your community may affect how quickly your insurance adjuster will arrive. This is why it is important that you have the pictures of the initial damage because things may look different after a day or two. Your insurance adjuster will be well-versed in home needs and repairs and will be able to give you an accurate assessment of how much money will be needed to restore your home to a beautiful, livable condition.

 

Secure Important Belongings

 

If you are living elsewhere while your home is being repaired, be sure to take important documents and belongings out of your home. Repairs will allow many other people into your homeand can create dust throughout the home, which can be damaging to furniture, pictures and clothing. Also, cover broken doors or windows with boards or tarps to mitigate further damage.

 

Deal with Moisture

 

Moisture may be one of the larger concerns you may have since water damage can occur with all types of storms, including thunderstorms, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and even wind damage. You will need to wait until after your insurance agent views your home, but once you receive the okay, you should start pumping water out of the home. Start with a sump pump, follow with a wet/dry vac and use dehumidifiers to remove excessive moisture from the air. Dealing with this now will make it easier to remodel and rebuild later. You may even want to call in a company that provides  for professional help.

 

Rebuild

 

Now is your chance to update your home. Thanks to some not so great weather, you can have the home of your dreams. Consider saving money with some DIY projects, but hire out major projects to a general contractor for your own peace of mind.

 

While it can initially be discouraging to look at your home after a heavy storm has passed through the area, you can instead look at it as a chance to improve your home. In fact, with the insurance money that you should be able to collect through your home insurance policy, you may finally be able to replace those less-than-favorite features of your home. With cleanup services, water remediation and a rebuild and remodel from a good contractor, you can once again have a cozy, warm and welcoming home despite living through a storm disaster.