Hurricane Preparedness: Checking Your Homes' Structural Elements

By Author: ServiceMaster of Cobb
Total Articles: 56
Comment this article

If your home is located in an area prone to hurricanes and tropical storms, you already know how important it is to be prepared.

Keeping tabs on news coverage and warnings issued by the government during periods of storm system formation is a critical part of emergency planning and hurricane preparedness.

But there’s so much more to hurricane preparedness than simply staying informed. It’s equally important to check your home’s structural elements.

Water Damage Restoration Company in Roswell, Georgia

ServiceMaster of Cobb, not only is our team available when your home is damaged by a hurricane, but we are also there to provide you with resources to assist you in preparing for a severe weather event.

We offer:

- water damage restoration in Roswell GA
- water damage reconstruction in Roswell Georgia
- water damage repair in Roswell Georgia

And other disaster restoration services for homes and businesses that include:

- Drying and Dehumidification
- Document Restoration
- Mold Remediation
- Cleaning Services

We ...
... provide 24-hour emergency water damage restoration services in Roswell, GA.

What does preparing a house for a hurricane look like?

There are several ways you can prepare your property to minimize the damage during the hurricane season in Roswell, GA.

We've outlined both short-term and long-term suggestions so you can learn what you can do right now to prepare for an upcoming hurricane.

To start, check the following parts of your home:
- Foundation
- Basement or crawl space (particularly drainage issues)
- Framing
- Roof
- Interior and exterior walls (including all stucco or concrete)
- Brickwork and masonry (including chimneys)

The goal of this structural checking is to make sure that:

The home was properly designed and built to securely withstand the weight of its anticipated loads.

The integrity of the structure has been maintained so it will continue to safely perform as intended for the foreseeable future.

There are a number of things that can come up as red flags upon checking your home’s structural elements, and none of them is great news. Here are some of the issues that come to light:

- A faulty or damaged foundation.

Foundation problems can be costly to fix, but a healthy foundation is essential to make sure the structure of your home is stable.

- A compromised roof.

Roofing issues are notoriously expensive and labor-intensive to repair. A roof that sags either on the ends or in the center can be indicative of shifting or settling that may compromise the integrity of the structure.

- Pest damage.

Assess how much damage has been caused by a termite infestation, and identify what steps you’ll need to take in order to get your home back on track.

- Masonry issues.

Water damage in brickwork or masonry is no joke and can cause serious damage to any structure, especially in colder climates.

What To Do?

If you already know that your home has a structural issue, it may be a good idea to have a reconstruction professional to come and take a look.

This is often the most direct way to figure out what repairs you’ll need to make to get your home ready to sell without spending extra cash on unnecessary fixes.

Checking your home's structural elements can give you a leg to stand on when refuting these issues and can help to assure your home is indeed in good condition. That means completing as many items as possible from the following checklist:

- Clear any dirt or debris from around the foundation of the home.
- Cut back plant growth near the home.
- Repair any minor damage to siding and/or trim.
- Clean out the gutters and repair any cosmetic issues.
- Clear off brush and debris from the roof.
- Clear out the crawl space and/or attic for easier access.
- Repair any minor leaks in the plumbing or water heater.

Concerned about your home’s structural elements? Take it one step at a time.

It’s natural to worry if you hear that your house could have structural flaws.

Foundation issues don’t mean your house is going to collapse, and even the most expensive problems aren’t the most common.

So take it one step at a time and get your home ready this hurricane season.

Be sure to check Ready.gov for more information and tips on what to do after a hurricane so you can be as prepared as possible.

Assess the structural repairs needed to be done and take the first steps toward hurricane preparedness.

Contact experienced water damage restoration experts to help you if an emergency occurs.

Our local teams are prepared to stand by your side 24/7/365 – because at the end of the day, we’re all just neighbors helping neighbors.

Call us at 678-264-3310 for Georgia, 423-220-4482 for Tennessee, and 678-909-1078 for Commercial.