What To Do When Your Home Is Damaged From A Winter Storm

Heavy winter storms can have severe consequences for U.S. homeowners. Intense rain, snow, ice, hail, low temperatures, and winds are not only dangerous but can also cause severe damage to your home. Even if you've already taken all the necessary preventative measures to prep your home for cold weather, disasters and damage can still happen. If you do find yourself in the unfortunate situation of facing property damage after a winter storm, there are some important steps you should take to not only ensure the safety of you and your family, but also to help prevent your home from suffering further damages.

Once you've made it to the other side of a winter storm, taking swift action is paramount. Don't get us wrong: Your first priority should be to make sure your family and any pets are safe. Quickly securing your home after storm devastation will reduce the chances of it sustaining further damage after the fact. One specific example of this is with damaged windows — the sooner you board them up, the less additional damage your house will face. Another reason you should act quickly after your home is damaged during a winter storm is that the process of receiving reimbursement from your home insurance may take a while. So, if you are dealing with damage to your home after a winter storm, take a deep breath, stay calm, and keep these steps in mind when considering how to proceed.

Once you've made sure that your family is safe, you should assess the state of your home, and check for any immediate dangers. Two risks to check for right away are damage to your electrical system and any gas leaks. If you spot signs of either, shut off the gas and power, and take your family someplace safe. You should also make sure that your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are still working properly. Take some time to inspect your property for any serious structural or foundation damage, and if your home looks like it may cave in, you should evacuate.

Another important safety step is to clear snow and ice from the entrances and exits of your home, so it's safe to evacuate if necessary. Even if you don't need to leave your home, you should still clear these so nobody slips and is injured on the ice, and so that you can freely move around your home to survey and repair damages from the storm. Additionally, check for large piles of snow or ice dams on your roof, or any nearby trees, which can cause additional damage to your home. If it is safe to do so, you should clear those as well, and if not, consider leaving your home and contacting a professional for removal.

After doing your initial damage control, it's important to start documenting everything. While it may be tempting to start repairing your home as soon as possible, documentation of damages is most likely going to be required by your insurance for reimbursement. Check your homeowner's insurance policy to specify exactly what coverage you have, but winter storm coverage may cover damages caused by wind, hail, fallen trees, snow, ice, and in some cases, water. Be sure to take clear photos or videos of any damage your home sustained from the storm, and it's also a good idea to make sure they are timestamped.

If you need to pay for any immediate home repairs directly following the storm, you should keep all receipts, as you may need to submit those to your insurance for reimbursement. Also, you'll want to gather receipts for any personal objects that were damaged by the winter storm. Even if the items are damaged beyond repair, you should hold on to them until the insurance claim process is complete. 

In case your insurance company needs to send an adjuster to your property, you should wait until they arrive and can survey the damages in person before you move or clean anything. Obviously, not all repairs can wait until insurance can come and inspect. For more urgent fixes, you may want to at least call your insurance company before handling them to maximize your chances of reimbursement.

Promptly after you've finished gathering documentation of all the damage inflicted on your home by the storm, it's time to contact your insurance and start the process of filing a claim. To know the specifics of what type of damage your home insurance policy covers, read over your policy and declaration page, or give your insurance company a call. Keep in mind that time is of the essence when it comes to this process. Depending on your policy, you may have a time limit on how long you can wait to submit a claim for damages. Another reason to file right away is that insurance claims can be a frustrating, lengthy process. While some claims can be handled in a matter of days, others can take weeks, or even months, and the longer you wait to file, the more time it may be until you can get paid.

Throughout the communication process with your insurance company, you should document everything they say. This way you can get an accurate idea of everything that is included or excluded from your policy, as well as the reason why. While filing your claim, you may also want to have repair specialists come to your home and give you an estimated quote on how much all the damages will cost to repair. You can discuss this quote with your insurance, and it will also give you an idea of how much you will have to pay.

Once you've obtained proper documentation of all the damages your home received from the storm and filed a claim with your insurance, you should then turn your attention back to your home itself and start working to prevent any further damage. For example, if any windows or doors were broken and are now letting water into your home, you should board those up to keep water, snow, and debris from getting inside. Another reason you'll want to quickly board up any damaged windows is to keep pests seeking shelter out of your home, which can lead to further problems.

Roof damage is another common symptom of winter storms, and if you can, you should remove any snow accumulation so the extra weight doesn't cause further damage to the roof. A roof rake can help you do this. If you have any ice dams on your roof, you can apply calcium chloride to the ice to melt them. Strong winds from winter storms can also damage or rip shingles off, and putting a tarp over the roof can help prevent leaks before a contractor can get on the scene.

Frozen pipes can cause serious damage to your home, and they are also a common occurrence after harsh winter storms that can be expensive to repair. Signs that you may have frozen pipes include an absence of water flowing from the tap, odd smells coming from your drain, and inexplicable water damage. If you suspect that you have frozen pipes, you should call a plumber right away, which leads us to our next step.

When your home is damaged during a storm, there is only so much you can (and should) do yourself to repair it. While it's a good idea to clear debris and handle simple fixes yourself, major repairs like frozen pipes, electrical, and structural damage should be left to the professionals. Additionally, if there are any damaged or downed trees that are too large for you to remove near your property, you should have professionals come to handle them. Damaged tree limbs can easily fall and not only cause more major damage to your home or vehicles, but they can be a hazard to your safety as well.

While the process of working with contractors to repair your home after a major winter storm may seem daunting, there are a few ways to make the process a little easier. For starters, do your research and hire a trustworthy local person or company with positive reviews. Avoid hiring a company that knocks on your door, as they may be storm chasers. Storm chasers are contractors looking to take advantage of people's distress by offering a quick fix that's often too good to be true, and likely won't hold up in the long run. Another common mistake everyone makes when hiring contractors is not getting more than one estimate for the repair work. By meeting with a few contractors, you'll have better chances of receiving the best price and hiring a contractor that best fits your needs.