When your home is struck by a natural disaster, it can turn your life upside-down. Hopefully, you and your family will remain safe throughout the incident, however, your home could suffer extensive damages, requiring immediate repairs in order to restore it to a habitable state. Here are the top five areas that could be affected in the course of such an event.
1. The Roof
The roof of your property is highly susceptible to tornado damage. With wind speeds potentially reaching 300 miles per hour, these storms can tear shingles from your roof with ease. To make things worse, even if you have made every effort to secure your roof, it may still be buffeted with fallen tree branches or other debris picked up by the tornado. The cracks and holes left behind by these impacts decrease your roof’s structural stability and make it susceptible to leaks.
2. Pipes and Plumbing
The pipes supplying your property can also be damaged during a natural disaster, particularly in the case of an earthquake. The force of an earthquake’s seismic waves can shatter pipes or loosen their connections, disrupting the water supply to your home. Sewer lines often collapse during an earthquake, causing dangerous waste to leak out beneath your property. These broken pipes are an environmental hazard and can also cause damage the foundation of your home.
3. Windows and Siding
Like the roof, the exterior walls of your property are also vulnerable to strong winds. Tornados are often responsible for extensive damage to the windows and siding of a property, with wind speeds sometimes exceeding 150 miles per hour. A homeowner’s siding can become cracked or chipped by debris or be torn off altogether, while windows may be shattered, paint chipped, and brickwork damaged by the impact of heavier debris.
4. Flooring
It is difficult to prevent water getting into your home, particularly if your property has already borne the brunt of an earthquake or flood. All you can do is be prepared to make repairs once the worst has passed. In particular, floodwaters can do extensive damage to your furniture and flooring. Carpets and floorboards may rot and weaken from the water damage, while concrete floors may absorb the moisture, allowing it to travel up into your walls. Resilient mold produced by these events can also pose a health risk to you and your family.
5. Gas Lines
Earthquakes may also cause damage to your gas lines and bring about leaks that can build up within or beneath your property, creating a risk of explosions or carbon monoxide poisoning. Gas appliances, heating, and your gas lines should all be checked for damage in the wake of a natural disaster. Contact a plumber immediately if severe damage has occurred in your home as a result of a natural disaster. A qualified professional can repair the damage and survey for unseen liabilities.