Unfortunately, these companies often prey on homeowners in need, ask for cash up front and then only do shoddy, little or no work before they disappear onto the next unsuspecting customer. Before hiring anyone for storm repair work, be sure to investigate the company’s history and get a contract in writing. Never pay in cash and never pay in full up front. Keep in mind when storms hit an area, the best companies are often the busiest. Even if a top-notch company can’t make the necessary repairs right away, they often will address urgent issues to prevent further damage until they can get in to make the full repairs. Water mitigation is usually the most important step in preventing secondary damage, like mold.
“Homeowners need to understand that storm water is not a clean source of water,” says Chris Nowak of PuroClean Emergency Property Restoration in Linwood, N.C. “It’s what we call ‘Black water’ or ‘Category 3’ water in the industry. Black water can carry with it everything that was outside the house; potentially pesticides, lawn fertilizers, chemicals and contaminates from oil. All of these things have the potential to come in the home and create an unhealthy environment.”
Homeowners who experience storm damage should make sure their home is safe, before attempting to assess or address it themselves.
“The first thing with a flooding situation is safety, of course,” Nowak says. “They want to turn the power off, the breakers off and get their family to a safer level and away from that water. They don’t want to have (live) electrical cords (in) and children and pets running through the water.”
Once safety issues have been addressed, there are things homeowners can do themselves to minimize the damage, from extracting water from floors to removing furniture and belongings in areas affected by storm damage.
