Steps To Take After A Tornado

5/24/2021 (Permalink)

After you have experienced a tornado in your community, there will be various things to consider as you move towards recovery. Such extreme weather events can cause a large amount of damage, both with respect to physical destruction and loss to emotional trauma. 

Here in Middle Tennessee, our springtime is lovely. It’s also the time of year when tornadoes occur more frequently. With this in mind, we wanted to share a few steps you can take after a tornado that will help you manage the damage and recover! Below are tips that will help save both time and money as you work towards recovery. 

• Find a contractor that is able to fund the beginning of the rebuild; insurance companies often take a few months to send the funds for the construction and repair work, so this step will help you begin more quickly.
• Insurance claims will also cover your possessions, so take an inventory of all the items you have lost and cannot salvage through photo and video. You may even be able to list food loss in your claim; check with your insurance agent.
• As you make purchases to replace the items that were lost, remember to keep all the receipts. Your insurance company will be asking for them in order to pay out your claim. 
• Advances can be requested through your adjustor for living expenses like clothes, food, and toiletries, so be sure to ask. 
• Your insurance policy will probably cover storage for items that were not damaged so that construction can go forward unhindered. If you have lost your roofing, for example, you will want to be able to guard undamaged items against rain and weather. 

Next on the list are a few more helpful steps: 

• Cleaning or restoration service for clothes, house, and property will need to be scheduled.
• Contact your utility companies about damage and important insurance.
• Contact your mortgage holder or landlord to gather important directions you may need to know.
• Rent a postal box for redirected mail if needed, and obtain a storage unit for undamaged items for protection during construction.

Our team here at SERVPRO of North Nashville is always ready to help if the worst happens. We are skilled restoration specialists who can manage disasters of all sizes. SERVPRO of North Nashville can help you recover from water damage, fire damage, mold infestations, biohazards, and more. This franchise is independently owned and operated.