A home disaster can leave you devastated and confused about what to do. Sometimes you find your home has been destroyed or is falling apart slowly. When you have survived the disaster, you will need to survive the aftermath. We have gathered some tips to help you out.
- If you and your family were separated during the disaster, make sure everyone is accounted for, including pets. If anyone is missing, reach out to first responders for help.
- If there is damage to your property, you will need to make repairs. Take pictures of the damage and clear out as much debris as you can. Remove valuable items such as documents and move them to a safe place.
- Reach out to restoration and home construction contractors for repairs.
- Contact your insurance agent to know what your claims can carry.
- In most cases, you will have to leave your home for your safety and for repairs to be completed. See if your insurance can cover a rental for a temporary stay or go to a shelter for those affected by the disaster.
- Don’t use your electronics or stay in your home after a disaster without a proper inspection. The home structure can appear unaffected, only to fail later. You may also put your health at risk if the air is still unclean from the disaster.
- As repairs go on, be sure to keep every receipt and proof of events and damages to help with insurance claims and tracking your expenses.
- When choosing restoration and construction experts, search carefully to avoid scammers that often come up after disasters happen. Ensure that the contractor is licensed, insured, has references, and is reputable before making agreements and trusting them with your repairs.