Repairing Your Home After Hurricane Sandy

Monday, November 12, 2012
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Coming back to a destroyed home after a hurricane is extremely difficult to come to grips with. The consequences of a severe storm can cause a physical, emotional, and financial burden on a family. Recovery may seem like a distant dream, but continuing to have hope in your situation and in the community can help you repair and rebuild the life you once had.

In order to prevent further damages to your property, you should take initiatives during the rebuilding process to increase safety for your family. Home repair in the wake of catastrophic flooding can take weeks to complete. However, having patience in your specific plan of action can help you cope with the coming days. Here are some tips on how to create an emergency plan that works:

                                
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• Enter your home after examining the exterior for structural damage and evidence of gas leaks. If there is evidence of any sort of issue, move a safe distance away.
• When you are ready to go inside, carry a face mask to protect your lungs from mold, wear gloves to protect your skin, and bring in a camera to document damage to your home and belongings for your insurance company.
• If you had water in your house for at least forty eight hours, you can expect to find mold. But in combination with other factors, it may be more practical to rebuild a mold-infested house than to clean it.
• The extent of the damage will depend on the depth, duration, and speed of the floodwaters.
• For lingering smells, seek out professional help to get the odors out so you can breathe cleanly again.

Every decision you make moving forward should be about the mitigation of your property. If you haven’t talked to your insurance agent at Hickey-Finn & Co yet, you should do so as soon as possible. You don’t want to go another day without the proper protection after hurricane damages. Use the above information as a guideline, but understand that every situation will be different. If you feel overwhelmed with the process, don’t hesitate to seek help from us so you can move towards recovery.

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