Disaster Restoration & Mitigation For The Hurricane Season
From June 1st to November 30th each year, disaster restoration companies stay on high alert in Fort Myers because of the hurricane warnings in the area. Storm damage restoration plays a significant role in ensuring that communities can recover after extensive property damage.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) suggests that hurricanes are the most prevalent weather phenomena that cause extensive death and destruction in the United States. Estimates by the Administration suggest that in the last 10 years, the damage done by hurricanes has been well beyond $1.7 trillion.
By being prepared for disaster restoration and mitigation, property owners can reduce the degree of loss suffered extensively and the time, effort, cost, and stress induced by the phenomenon. This article will go through your preparations to prepare yourself for the hurricane season and how storm damage restoration companies can help.
Disaster Restoration & Mitigation Preparations – Storm Damage
Hurricanes are known for their extensive damage to properties and how they can prove fatal to people in their vicinity. As the season draws near, you should get ready to evacuate, should the warning order be issued.
Furthermore, it would help if you also prepared the equipment and processes necessary to secure your residential and commercial properties. Board-up services can be beneficial in this regard. It would help if you took proactive measures to protect your property, such as calling restoration crews that stay in the area to mitigate the risks.
Here are some steps that you should take:
Cover All Entrances To Your Property
This includes windows, doors, and any other openings that may allow the wind and debris to enter your home or building. Remember, glass and wood are no obstacle for debris flying during a hurricane. Even a tiny pebble flying at a speed of 70-80 mph can come crashing through glass and wood.
Windows and doors are considered to be major weak points during a hurricane. With the help of a tarp of wood sheets explicitly designed to eliminate this risk (the ones used by board-up services), you can significantly reduce the damage to the things inside.
Hurricane shutters are also a great way to protect your property. If the speeds aren’t enough to damage your home (you can learn more details about the speed and type of hurricane through the news), these shutters can also protect you.
You also have the option of installing impact-resistant glass on your windows. They may get scratched but are likely to hold up against winds in category 1 and 2 hurricanes.
Secure The Rooftop
Category 3 and above hurricanes are known for their ability to rip off entire homes from their foundation and send them flying. Shutters or impact-resistant glasses may not be as helpful here. Your only option is to rely on disaster restoration crews to help you once the hurricane has passed.
Significant hurricanes in category 3 and upper-level category 2 usually damage your roof. This is because most roofs are only held down by gravity and glue. To ensure that your roof remains intact – or at least manages to hold its own during the hurricane and keep your property relatively safe the roof needs to be anchored.
You can invest in lateral anchors, hold-downs, or embedded connectors that secure your roof by connecting it to the ground. The heavy-duty harnesses and metal roofing solutions are able to withstand winds of up to 140 miles per hour.
The shingles are also an important consideration here. Instead of wood or asphalt shingles, consider going for architectural shingles that are thicker and heavier. It would take a category 4 hurricane to rip off such a roof (without harnesses).
Consider getting your roof inspected by storm restoration companies to evaluate better what you can do to prepare for the storm.
Secure Appliances & Loose Items
A protective cage or hurricane straps around your HVAC system and other outdoor appliances can help you secure the systems to the ground. A combination of the two is better, but you can go for one or the other if you are short on budget. The same applies to other loose objects around the property.
The straps help you keep the appliance or item on the ground, while the cage is there to help protect it against debris and flying objects. It is important to note that covering the entire appliance with a plastic sheet can further help you ensure that dust and small rocks don’t make their way into appliances.
Consider covering all your appliances with plastic sheets – even those indoors – to protect your assets as much as possible. Furthermore, you will be able to make an excellent case in front of insurance providers.
There are several other things that you can do for disaster mitigation, such as preparing your basement for draining, cleaning gutters and downspouts, bracing doors, walls, and garage, maintaining your yard, and more. However, ultimately, there will always be a certain degree of damage.
Call 911 Restoration of Fort Myers at (239) 322-1217 to help you stay ready for disaster strikes. Not only can we give you tailored tips for storm damage restoration and disaster mitigation, but we also offer a FREE inspection to property owners. Our IICRC-certified experts are dedicated to helping you recover from hurricane damage as quickly as possible and resume your life!
