Now that the winds have died down and the water has subsided, let’s all take a deep breath and remember… people are what matters. The rest can be replaced. Here are some tips to help you through this recovery process.

• To begin with, take lots of pictures of water marks on the walls inside and out of your home, to prove how high the water went.  Document lots!
• File insurance claims and claims for government help quickly so you get in queue.
• Save all receipts throughout recovery.
• If you need a POD or storage container. Move quickly to order one, as they sell out fast.

If you had water in your home:

• Use a Shopvac to suck up what water you can and start to bag up debris, wet insulation, and ruined items and take them outside.
• Save a sample of any carpet and carpet pad for the insurance company to verify replacement value.
• Get anything wet out of the house, so everything can begin to dry.
• Take pictures to document any damage you see including wet sheetrock, wet carpet, wet furniture, or anything you’ll want to claim.
• Photograph each ruined piece of furniture, book, appliance, or item of clothing. The insurance company will want proof of each thing.
• Once you’ve gutted as much as you can, crank up your A/C, set up fans, and consider investing in a home dehumidifier. You can also spray the exposed studs with bleach as they dry.

Before the adjustor comes:

• Carefully inspect your roof scrutinizing valleys where roof planes intersect and anything that comes up through the roof (such as vent stacks), chimney top, and flashing to see if anything is loose or missing.
• Visually inspect your home’s electrical service entrances to see if they’re sagging or leaning. (Contact an electrician immediately, if they are.)
• Inspect shutters, exterior trim, gutters, and downspouts, which can come loose and fall off later.
• Walk down your fence row and push against it to check for storm-weakened areas.
• Inspect large trees on your property to see if they sustained significant damage.