Last month we discussed how to help your home in a natural disaster by preventing and fixing elements in your home or business before a disaster would strike.
As Hurricane Ida is still seeing an aftermath of restoration and damage to many buildings and homes, we wanted to follow up with a blog about what you should do after a natural disaster happens, so that in hurricane season you are prepared.
Property Restoration: RECOVERY
The shock and effects of a natural disaster affecting where you live or work can create long term stress and it is important to get back to normal as quickly as possible.
Local officials and charities will be able to help you immediately with any assistance you might need such as food or shelter.
Consider safety first for your family and do not ever go back to any building that has had damage without knowing it is safe again as there could be hidden dangers. If you are not sure, then get clearance from officials first.
Get first aid and medical attention immediately for any injured people. You must not move an unconscious person. Stabilise the neck and back and then call the emergency services.
Counselling and therapy might be an option for people who have trouble concentrating or sleeping after the disaster and you should always contact your doctor if you are worried about anything after the event to the point that it makes you very anxious.
HIDDEN DANGERS OF NATURAL DISASTERS
When disaster strikes then your building could have lots of hidden dangers that are not visible to the naked eye.
Water such as flooding can make buildings and water contaminated. There can be broken glass and debris, slippery floors and gas leaks.
It is best to get a structural engineer before entering the building so they can check for structural damage or electrical problems. We can help with this type of check at ZGreen Restoration.
According to ready.gov You must not enter your home if you smell gas, smoke or have floodwater around your building or if local authorities declare it unsafe to enter.
As per our last blog where we mentioned precautions and emergency kits to have handy these will certainly help you after the disaster as well so make sure you give this blog a read as well.
Fire & Water Damage: INSURANCE
After a natural disaster you will need to contact your insurance providers immediately so that you can claim a file and get restoration work carried out on your home or business.
Make sure that you document all your damages before any cleaning up or restoration takes place and take pictures.
Keep all receipts of any work taken to repair or clean-up as you will need these for your claim.
Therefore, it is important to make sure your home or office insurance is fully up to date in terms of monthly or annual payment fees, any changes to the building and most importantly does your insurance cover a natural disaster?
Here at ZGreen Restoration we can help you with this process as we deal with insurance claims directly without you having to worry about what to claim.
We restore homes and offices back to their normal state and have advanced equipment to do this. Do not hesitate in contacting us if you have any restoration work after a disaster as we will help you in a diligent and calm manner. Call 408-212-6034 for help.
ZGreen Restoration is a certified restoration business. It is an IICRC-certified firm, which means we adhere to a higher standard than other companies. Trust in our fire restoration experts to get your house back in order. We are happy to discuss any of the points raised in this blog or how to restore your home after a natural disaster.
Call us for a free quote 24/7 on 408-212-6034