{"id":1542,"date":"2023-03-01T09:45:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-01T09:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/?p=1542"},"modified":"2023-10-24T12:38:45","modified_gmt":"2023-10-24T12:38:45","slug":"hidden-storm-damage-checklist-to-protect-your-investment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/about-ems\/blog\/hidden-storm-damage-checklist-to-protect-your-investment\/","title":{"rendered":"Hidden Storm Damage Checklist to Protect Your Investment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Storms are a fact of life, but they don&#8217;t have to be a financial disaster for your home. A little preparation can make all the difference when dealing with storm damage. The biggest problem is that most people only realize a storm has damaged their home later when it&#8217;s too late to fix their roof, windows, or other damaged areas. So, how do you know if your house has been hit by bad weather? Before you call for a professional refuge like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.emscleanup.com\/kansas-city-ks\/\">water damage cleanup in Kansas City<\/a>, here is what you need to know about storm damage:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"427\" src=\"https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/How-to-Identify-Storm-Damage-1024x427.webp\" alt=\"How to Identify Storm Damage\" class=\"wp-image-4532\" srcset=\"https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/How-to-Identify-Storm-Damage-1024x427.webp 1024w, https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/How-to-Identify-Storm-Damage-300x125.webp 300w, https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/How-to-Identify-Storm-Damage-768x320.webp 768w, https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/How-to-Identify-Storm-Damage.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How to Identify Storm Damage<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>To identify storm damage, you must look for missing shingles, broken windows and doors, dented siding, roof leaks, and damaged gutters. You should also check for water damage inside the home by inspecting walls for moisture stains or discoloration. If you see any signs of mold or mildew in areas where there was once drywall (such as around your bathroom sink), it&#8217;s time to call in a professional. Finally, if you find structural damage, such as cracks in floors or walls, then this needs immediate attention from an experienced contractor before further damage occurs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"427\" src=\"https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/The-Hidden-Costs-of-Storm-Damage--1024x427.webp\" alt=\"The Hidden Costs of Storm Damage\" class=\"wp-image-4535\" srcset=\"https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/The-Hidden-Costs-of-Storm-Damage--1024x427.webp 1024w, https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/The-Hidden-Costs-of-Storm-Damage--300x125.webp 300w, https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/The-Hidden-Costs-of-Storm-Damage--768x320.webp 768w, https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/The-Hidden-Costs-of-Storm-Damage-.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Hidden Costs of Storm Damage<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As you can see, there are many hidden costs of storm damage. The first step to protecting your investment is understanding these hidden costs and knowing how much money you should set aside for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The second step is prevention: take steps now to save you from having to pay out later. This means checking in with a professional contractor regularly so they can inspect your property and make sure everything&#8217;s running smoothly or taking preventative measures like installing shutters or even building an emergency shelter in case of heavy rains or high winds coming through town (and they often do).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"427\" src=\"https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/A-Checklist-for-Storm-Damage-Investigation--1024x427.webp\" alt=\"A Checklist for Storm Damage Investigation\" class=\"wp-image-4530\" srcset=\"https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/A-Checklist-for-Storm-Damage-Investigation--1024x427.webp 1024w, https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/A-Checklist-for-Storm-Damage-Investigation--300x125.webp 300w, https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/A-Checklist-for-Storm-Damage-Investigation--768x320.webp 768w, https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/A-Checklist-for-Storm-Damage-Investigation-.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>A Checklist for Storm Damage Investigation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Check for <strong>flooding<\/strong>. If water has entered the home, it&#8217;s vital to assess whether it came from inside or outside. If there is any doubt on this matter, it&#8217;s best to hire a professional to investigate further and ensure that you don&#8217;t have any hidden damage caused by flooding and water infiltration.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Check for <strong>mold growth<\/strong>. Mold can multiply in wet environments, so if your house was flooded during the storm and has been left unoccupied since then (or even just part of one day), there could be mold growing in places like walls or ceilings&#8211;and this can cause serious health problems if not dealt with immediately.*&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Check the structural integrity of <strong>foundation walls\/flooring\/ceilings<\/strong>:&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Do they appear damaged?&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Are there cracks in them?&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Are they bowed outwards?&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Are they bowed downwards towards the basement floor level?&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do stairs creak when walked upon?&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Inspect the<strong> roof structure<\/strong> carefully, looking for missing shingles, loose nails, or torn tar paper along eaves where water may have leaked into the house through roof vents or skylights.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Inspect all <strong>windowsills &amp; window frames<\/strong> carefully, looking for signs of rot due primarily from standing water sitting atop sills over long periods of time (months)&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"427\" src=\"https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Know-the-signs-of-storm-damage-and-protect-your-investment-1024x427.webp\" alt=\"Know the signs of storm damage and protect your investment.\" class=\"wp-image-4533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Know-the-signs-of-storm-damage-and-protect-your-investment-1024x427.webp 1024w, https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Know-the-signs-of-storm-damage-and-protect-your-investment-300x125.webp 300w, https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Know-the-signs-of-storm-damage-and-protect-your-investment-768x320.webp 768w, https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Know-the-signs-of-storm-damage-and-protect-your-investment.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Know the signs of storm damage and protect your investment.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u00b7 <strong>Water damage<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Look for signs of water seeping through cracks in the exterior of your home and interior walls. If you see mold, it&#8217;s time to call in a professional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u00b7 <strong><strong>Structural damage<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Look for buckling floors or walls that can&#8217;t be easily pushed back into place. These are signs of structural issues with your home, which could lead to costly repairs down the line if left untreated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u00b7 <strong><strong>Electrical damage<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Look for cracked electrical outlets and switches that don&#8217;t work anymore&#8211;this could mean they&#8217;re too old or haven&#8217;t been maintained properly over time (or both). It&#8217;s important not only because it&#8217;s dangerous but also because faulty wiring can cause fire hazards as well as power outages during storms or other emergencies when you most need reliable access to electricity!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u00b7 <strong>Fire damage<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If there was any fire damage caused by lightning strikes nearby during this storm cycle, then we recommend calling an expert contractor right away so that they can inspect the property thoroughly before determining whether or not any further action needs to be taken immediately after repairs have been completed successfully just yet.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"427\" src=\"https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Stay-Dry-and-Free-from-Expensive-Storm-Damage-Cost--1024x427.webp\" alt=\"Stay Dry and Free from Expensive Storm Damage Cost!\" class=\"wp-image-4534\" srcset=\"https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Stay-Dry-and-Free-from-Expensive-Storm-Damage-Cost--1024x427.webp 1024w, https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Stay-Dry-and-Free-from-Expensive-Storm-Damage-Cost--300x125.webp 300w, https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Stay-Dry-and-Free-from-Expensive-Storm-Damage-Cost--768x320.webp 768w, https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Stay-Dry-and-Free-from-Expensive-Storm-Damage-Cost-.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Stay Dry and Free from Expensive Storm Damage Cost!<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re worried about storm damage, knowing the signs and protecting your investment is essential. A checklist for storm damage investigation can help you identify potential problems before they become serious. For more information on protecting your home or business after a storm has hit, contact <a href=\"https:\/\/www.emscleanup.com\/residential-services\/water-damage-residential\/\">water damage contractors in Kansas City<\/a> today!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Storm damage can be very destructive and expensive. Protecting your property should be a must.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":4531,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"%%post_title%% %%sep%% %%sitetitle%%","_seopress_titles_desc":"Storm damage can be very destructive and expensive. Protecting your property should be a must.","_seopress_robots_index":"","_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_kadence_starter_templates_imported_post":false,"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"hide","_kad_post_layout":"default","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"boxed","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"show","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[81,16,5],"tags":[12,10,6,11,13,8,36,35,9,7,34,33],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Hidden-Storm-Damage-Checklist-to-Protect-Your-Investment-.webp",1200,500,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Hidden-Storm-Damage-Checklist-to-Protect-Your-Investment--150x150.webp",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Hidden-Storm-Damage-Checklist-to-Protect-Your-Investment--300x125.webp",300,125,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Hidden-Storm-Damage-Checklist-to-Protect-Your-Investment--768x320.webp",768,320,true],"large":["https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Hidden-Storm-Damage-Checklist-to-Protect-Your-Investment--1024x427.webp",1024,427,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Hidden-Storm-Damage-Checklist-to-Protect-Your-Investment-.webp",1200,500,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Hidden-Storm-Damage-Checklist-to-Protect-Your-Investment-.webp",1200,500,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Clint","author_link":"https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/about-ems\/blog\/author\/clint\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Storm damage can be very destructive and expensive. Protecting your property should be a must.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1542"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1542"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1542\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4540,"href":"https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1542\/revisions\/4540"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4531"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1542"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1542"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emscleanup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1542"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}