Damages Hurricane Season Can Bring to Your Home

10/10/2023 (Permalink)

Weather is unpredictable and hurricane season, an annual meteorological event that strikes fear and concern into the hearts of residents in vulnerable regions, can wreak havoc on homes and communities. These powerful natural disasters, characterized by harsh winds, torrential rains, and storm surges, have the potential to cause extensive damage to residential structures.

From torn roofs and shattered windows to flooding and structural instability, the aftermath of hurricanes can leave homeowners facing not only physical devastation but also emotional and financial turmoil. We're here to let you in on the various ways hurricane season can bring damage to your home, as well as our restoration and emergency services that help mitigate these damages.

Hurricane Season Damages

Hurricane season can cause a wide range of damages to a home, including:

Roof Damage

High winds and flying debris can tear off shingles, damage roofing materials, or even lift entire sections of the roof, leading to leaks and water infiltration. If your roof is damaged during a hurricane, you should reach out to a professional ASAP. The longer the roof is damaged, the more damage will come of it. For example, you'll be dealing with not only the fear of your roof collapsing, but the water damage that will eventually turn into mold damage.

Window and Door Damages

Flying debris and strong winds can break windows and doors, compromising the structural integrity of the home and allowing wind and water to enter. This is not only dangerous for those that live inside the home, but to the home itself. The water that will enter into your home will cause damage to your floors, walls, and belongings, and eventually will turn into mold if not dealt with immediately.

The best way to avoid this is if you hear that a bad hurricane is coming your way, board up your windows and use sandbags around the exterior of your home.

Flood Waters

Heavy rainfall and surges of flood water can lead to severe flooding, damaging the interior of the home and its foundation. This can result in waterlogged walls, floors, and electrical systems.

Plus, water damage can come in 3 different types - clean water, gray water, and black water. Clean water damage is provoked by a broken appliance, faulty sprinklers, burst pipe, rainwater, etc. Although this type of water damage isn't dangerous, per say, if it's still not treated correctly, mold could develop from excess water - causing it to become a danger.

Gray water damage is considered unsanitary due to the source or the amount of time it has been stagnant. This water damage is usually caused by a broken toilet, washing machine, or anything that could leak hazardous chemicals.

Finally, black water damage is the most hazardous water to deal with. This comes from a natural disaster or a sewage problem. This water is considered to be very contaminated, so do not touch or go near it until you've had a professional come out and mitigate the water. It's not worth the risk to clean it on your own. If your home was affected, it's important to seek professional help right away to protect and avoid additional property damage so you can start living normally again.

It's important to note that gray and black water is not signified by color. It is typically a rating system to decipher and determine the severity of the damage. For example, a lake is not black in color, but would be considered black water due to unknown bacteria and hazardous materials living within it.

Structural Damage

Hurricane-force winds can weaken the structure of a home, causing walls to collapse or supporting beams to fail. This type of damage is especially heart-breaking and should be dealt with right away. This is a case for an emergency, so it's best to get out of your home if you notice any type of structural damages.

Mold and Mildew

The moisture left behind by hurricanes can create ideal conditions for mold growth, which can be harmful to both the home and those living inside. If you were not able to get a professional restoration company into your home to restore any water damage in a quick time frame, there's a huge chance that mold has already started to grow. When you contact a restoration company like SERVPRO, tell them that not only is there water damage, but suspicion of mold is present as well.

Plumbing Damage

Flooding can also damage plumbing systems, causing leaks, pipe breaks, or contamination of the water supply.

Foundation Damage

Storm surges and floodwaters can erode the soil around a home's foundation, leading to structural issues and potential sinking or shifting.

Landscape and Exterior Damage

A hurricane can uproot trees, damage fences, and destroy outdoor structures like sheds or garages.

Appliance and HVAC Damage

Water damage or power surges during a hurricane can harm appliances, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.

Personal Belongings

Homes can suffer damage to personal belongings, including furniture, electronics, and sentimental items, due to flooding and structural issues.

Fire Damage

When you think of a hurricane or any other type of disaster, you think of heavy rain, flooding, and other damages to your property. However, fire is another worry that should be on the top of your list. If a tree falls into your electrical equipment, a fire can break out and spread throughout your house. Fire damage is no joke, and we have the right professionals at SERVPRO Team Harvey to help.

If you start noticing water coming into your home, turn off and unplug anything that is electrical in your home to avoid a fire from starting, as water hitting electricity can cause a horrendous fire and more. In other words, stay aware!

Why Choose SERVPRO Team Harvey for Your Storm Damage Restoration Needs?

Storm and flood damage require specialized restoration techniques and equipment. When a storm hits your Hoboken home, you need the company with experience and expertise. SERVPRO of Hoboken/Union City can respond right away to storm and flooding conditions, as we understand that if you have an emergency, help is needed ASAP.

When it comes to talking to your insurance company, we can handle discussing with them the severity of the damages, what we need to do to restore it, and provide a timeline of information.

It's important to note that we are faster to any size disaster. A fast response is crucial to flooding and hurricane damage, because it reduces secondary damage and restoration costs. Storms don't wait for regular business hours and neither do we. Our technicians will respond right away, day or night, to help homeowners and business owners with their property.

We're also highly trained storm damage specialists who get started promptly to get your property dry and back to preloss condition. Using advanced equipment and scientific drying techniques, we document the drying process to validate your home or business is ready.

We also can access the resources and personnel of 2170 franchises to handle major storms and disasters. We have access to special disaster recovery teams strategically located throughout the country to respond to catastrophic storms and events.

Our Other Restoration Services

In addition to natural disaster restoration, we also help with water damage restoration, fire damage restoration, mold remediation, and commercial services. So, whether you are experiencing a flood and now have water damage or you had a fire in your store and now you need the soot cleaned, we are here to help. Rest assured, we provide additional services outside of water and fire damage. We also provide cleaning services that range within a variety of areas like upholstery cleaning and sewage cleaning, to biohazard and odor removal.

We're pretty much your one-stop-shop for any restoration and cleaning needs. So, if your home or business was affected by a disaster, you know who to reach out to.

About SERVPRO Team Harvey

SERVPRO of Hoboken/Union City is proudly owned by Lance and Jennifer Harvey - a husband and wife duo that owns three other SERVPRO locations, including SERVPRO of Lower Manhattan, SERVPRO of West Somerset County, and SERVPRO of Aberdeen/Holmdel.

If you have an emergency, we're here to help. We understand the stress and worry that comes with a fire or water damage and the disruption it causes your home or business. Our goal is to help minimize the interruption to your life and quickly make it “like it never even happened.”

Learn about TEAM HARVEY: VIDEO