-Communities celebrated as a much needed rainstorm recently blew through California but it was not all good news for those who experienced the Alisal Fire earlier in October or who had experienced devasting fires in 2020. Evacuation orders were issued for Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz and other areas that were in danger of experiencing mudslides because of the devastation of wildfires and the Paso Robles water damage experts from SERVPRO of Atascadero / Paso Robles have prepared some tips to help property owners protect their homes and businesses from storm damage.
The time to prepare for winter storms is months before the rains arrive. The old saying “the roof doesn’t leak when it’s not raining,” makes a good joke, but not such a good strategy for preventing damage. The general time to assess potential problems is to conduct an inspection of buildings and landscape far enough in advance of winter rainy season to budget and schedule the necessary work.
There are two good times to inspect for damage:
- Right after a storm when critical repairs can be made or temporary repairs can be made to continue to protect the property until permanent repairs can be done.
- Several months before the stormy season when there is plenty of time to schedule and make the repairs and reinforcements correctly.
Other preparation measures include:
- Clean up the yard. Remove clutter form the yard and trim dead and broken branches off of trees and shrubs. Move anything that wind can move or knock over, such as patio furniture, bicycles or other toys to safe places out of the wind. “No one wants a patio chair to come crashing through the living room window,” said Joe Powers, owner of the Paso Robles water damage remediation SERVPRO of Atascadero / Paso Robles.
- Clean rain gutters and make sure the downspouts are in good working order and the water flows away from the house.
- Stock up on supplies such as tarps, sandbags or other materials to divert the flow of water, boards for the possibility of broken windows, and weatherstripping in the event doors or windows are leaking.
- Prepare an emergency kit with extra drinking water, non-perishable food and battery powered lighting. It’s a good idea to have camping gear on hand, such as coolers and a camp stove.
- Have a plan for preparing meals in case the power goes out.
- Have an emergency escape plan in the event the family and pets need to evacuate. Make sure important documents, financial account information and emergency phone numbers are packed in an escape kit, along with food, water, extra clothing, batteries and other necessities.
- Keeps phones and other important electronics charged and add all emergency phone numbers to all phones.
The goals are to be safe and protect your family from harm and your home or office from storm damage and the long-term effects of water damage and mold.
In the event there is storm damage to buildings on your property, contact your insurance company then call SERVPRO of Atascadero / Paso Robles for help assessing and remediating storm damage. Water damage requires specialized restoration procedures and equipment. Water damage isn’t always obvious because water follows paths of least resistance, meaning that a loose shingle on the roof may not be the location of the damage. Rain may enter under a loose shingle, but continue to flow and seep into walls, causing rotted drywall, even damaging electrical wiring. The actual damage may show up several feet away from the original leak. The highly trained technicians from the Paso Robles water damage repair company have the training and experience to locate water damage throughout a building, assess the damage, make necessary repairs, and help submit and monitor insurance claims.
