Repair Tornado Damage in Richardson

10/27/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Richardson is repairing Richardson tornado damaged homes and businesses. We are a 30+ year experienced disaster industry company.

Steps to Tornado Damage Repairs

First - Roof Tarping and Board-Up

Roof tarping and board-up are the first steps to take after tornado damage.  From an insurance viewpoint, these are called temporary repairs, and they help protect your home from sustaining additional damage.  

A roof tarp is a thick, waterproof piece of plastic that covers all broken or damaged portions of your roof.  The most popular color for these tarps are blue, but you can also find high-quality tarps in green, brown, and other colors.  Roof tarps help prevent additional weather from entering your property. 

Board-up or boarding-up is when sheets of plywood are attached to the outside of damaged doors, windows, and outer walls.  Like roof tarps, board-ups help prevent weather from coming inside the property, and they also help deter theft. 

These temporary repairs are essential and help satisfy your insurance company’s homeowner insurance temporary repairs requirement.  Your insurance company will want to see that you took emergency steps to protect your home, even after major damage.

Then, Debris Removal

After emergency repairs are done, it’s a good idea to remove all the debris from your home and yard.  It’s important to get rid of as many tripping hazards as possible for the safety of your family and any technicians that will be working on your home.  Having a clean space is essential to move in and out of your home. Clearing your home’s yard will also help restore the grass underneath.  

Look for a restoration company that is capable of removing any kind of debris -- including large trees and hazardous elements.  Ask that all debris be hauled away and not remain on the curb.  

After, Move-Out / Pack-Out / Moving Services

All of these terms basically mean the same thing.  A move-out or pack-out is a moving service where the restoration company packs everything inside of your home and moves it away temporarily. 

A move-out may be necessary if your home was extensively damaged and technicians need to clear room(s) of your house to properly and safety rebuild it.  Sometimes only a few rooms of a home need to be moved-out, and sometimes an entire home does. The decision will depend on the severity of the damage. 

Move-outs have to be approved by an insurance adjuster if it’s part of an insurance claim. 

The process can be time-intensive.  A professional restoration company will document every single item they are taking, which will involve taking inventory, photos, and videos.  This documentation is necessary to validate your insurance claim, and it will help everyone involved know which items were salvaged and taken versus broken items that need to be thrown away. 

A full-service restoration company will typically take your items back to their in-house cleaning facility.  Your items, if they need it, will be sanitized, re-packed, and then stored until you are ready to receive them again.  If you are moving to a temporary location and need your items, your belongings may also be dropped off there. 

Cleaning Your Belongings - Content Cleaning

If your belongings were contaminated, they need to be sanitized so they can be safe to use again.  Content cleaning should be approved by your adjuster before any cleaning begins.  

One of the most efficient ways to clean contents is with an ultrasonic machine, and many full-service restoration companies have one.  Hiring a restoration company that will clean your belongings at their own facilities will prevent them from taking your items to a secondary company; in turn, your items should be cleaned faster and be less expensive. 

Ask your restoration company how they plan to clean your belongings. 

Cleaning Your Clothes - Soft Goods or Textile Cleaning

Soft goods or textiles are things like clothes, shoes, belts, stuffed animals, blankets, sheets, towels, hats, and sports equipment. 

If your textiles need to be cleaned, ask your restoration provider if they clean them in-house. 

Just like content cleaning, a full-service restoration company can clean textiles in-house.  Many use a process called the Esporta Wash System, which is the most effective way to sanitize clothing today.  Esporta Certified Operators are businesses that have a machine and have been trained to use it.  

Textile cleaning is almost always covered as part of a claim, but some insurance adjusters may only approve a restoration company if they can clean your items in-house.  The reasons why vary, but a popular one is because in-house cleaning (as opposed to contracting a second company to do it) will typically result in less expensive claims and faster cleaning. 

We are a Certified Esporta Wash System operator, and you can learn more about our process here. 

Demolition

After your home has been cleared, then demolition begins.  Demolition may play a big part in the reconstruction of your home if it has been severely damaged.  Everything that cannot be fixed must be taken out of your property. 

Demolition can take days or weeks, depending on the extent of the damage. 

Trash and Junk Removal

At the end of every day, all the debris and trash from your home should be hauled away.  Leaving a clean workspace is essential for safety, and it also discourages unwanted visitors from picking through your items as they sit on the curb. 

Then - Repairs, Rebuild, or Reconstruction

After your home has been cleared of debris, belongings, and has had demolition completed, it’s time to repair or reconstruct your home. 

Repairs or Reconstruction is also offered by full-service restoration companies.  Make sure the company you choose has an in-house Reconstruction Manager that will personally work with you through this process.  

Always ask to meet the Reconstruction Manager.  Ask yourself:

• How many years of experience do they have?  This is not the time for on-the-job training. 

• Are they someone I can trust?  They will be your partner through this process, which can be lengthy. 

• How will they work with my insurance adjuster?  They should have a strict communications protocol with your adjuster; this helps keep the process moving forward efficiently. 

• Will they be available to answer all my questions?  They should be accessible to you. 

• How will they guide me through the rebuild of my home?  They should have a protocol to help you understand the process and keep you comfortable with the work being completed. 

• How long do they think repairs will take?  During these types of situations, it’s unusual that only a few homes need repairs.  The high volume of work needed sometimes may put a backlog on popular items needed for reconstruction, like certain types of flooring.  If this is the case, the Reconstruction Manager should give you an honest timeline. 

The right Reconstruction Manager should be empathetic to your situation.  Both of you must have the same goal -- to rebuild your home correctly, safely, and as quickly as possible.  

Then, Post-Construction Cleaning

After construction is complete, the process is almost done.  Your restoration company should prepare your home for you to move back in by thoroughly cleaning it, especially where reconstruction took place -- including your air duct and HVAC system. 

Finally - Move-Back

This is the moment you’ve likely been waiting for -- it’s time to move back into your home.  The belongings that were being stored for you will be returned. Look for a restoration company that will give you great customer service and will even do the unpacking for you (we’re one of them!).

Note: Water Damage Restoration During Tornado Damage

Some homes in Dallas and Richardson were hit in two ways -- first, by tornado damage.  Then, by water damage.  

Restoring a home that was involved by two damages is more complicated, but something an experienced restoration company can provide easily. 

In this situation, temporary repairs (like roof tarping and board-up) are still the first necessary measures needed.  Then, expect:

• Water Removal.  All standing water should be extracted.  This water will be considered Category 3, so all the areas it touched need to be sanitized. 
• Drying.  To help prevent mold growth and further damage, your home has to be properly dried.  Commercial air movers and dehumidifiers should be installed. 
• Daily Moisture Checks.  Every day, a technician should visit your property to make sure that your home’s drying plan is going to plan.  Changes should be made immediately when necessary. 

Choosing a Restoration Company

You can choose to work with either one full-service company, or you may decide that working many companies on different portions of your tornado damage repairs is the right path for you. 

By law, your insurance company and adjuster must honor your choice of company(ies) to work with. 

Richardson Tornado Damage Repairs

Our franchise has been locally owned and operated for over 30 years.  In that time, we’ve restored thousands of homes and have worked with insurance companies to process claims.  

If you are looking for a company to help you with your home’s tornado cleanup and restoration, we’re here for you. 

We are 1 Company for 100% Restoration.  We routinely help homeowners in need cleanup and restore their properties -- from start to end.  Our full-service restoration services help make an already difficult time easier to manage because we assign you one point of contact that you know you can always count on to guide you every step of the way.  

We live and work in our hometown of Dallas Fort Worth.  When the tornadoes hit, we were fortunate enough to stay safe.  Not everyone is able to say that. Whether you decide to let us be your restoration company or not, we’re here to help our neighbors. 

Contact us for a free consultation.  

We’ll visit you at your property, answer your questions, and give you guidance during this difficult time.  

We’re here to help.