If there’s one thing Tampa, Florida residents and business owners know in recent years, it’s that the same warm climate that keeps the state free of snow storms and frozen pipes can also lead to serious hurricanes and tropical storms. Just last year, hurricane Ian caused a state of emergency and the closure of the Tampa Bay area, in addition to other parts of the state, as the storm made landfall.
Unfortunately, as many Tampa property owners found out, the damage from a hurricane doesn’t just limit itself to high winds causing objects to break windows or damage building roofs. Water damage is another major factor that can greatly impact recovery. It doesn’t even have to be a torrential flood that allows people to canoe down city streets; even lower water levels can still cause significant damage to a home or business.
If you’re a Tampa, FL property owner, here are some steps to help prepare against water damage from a storm and allow for faster recovery with a professional water damage repair service, like Drywizard Restoration.
Protecting Your Property From Storm Damage in Tampa, FL
Protect Doors & Windows
The most common cause of water damage from hurricane events in Tampa, Florida is insufficient protection to doors and windows. Of course, there’s a natural engineering disadvantage to doors and windows. They are, by design, supposed to open, and should this happen during a hurricane; they admit high winds and, if there’s a lot of rain, torrential amounts of water into a home or business. If there is any furniture or expensive electronic equipment near a door or window that is admitting hurricane weather, those items are likely ruined by the stormwater.
Barricades and other protective measures should be one of the first things property owners do when there’s a warning of an incoming hurricane or another storm event. Do not rely on physical locks to keep a door or window shut, especially since flying objects traveling at high speed can break a window, leaving the lock as a protective measure useless.
Secure Outdoor Objects
If your home has many items outside, such as furniture beside the pool, outdoor grills, and other things not nailed down, these can damage your home. Depending on the circumstances, hurricanes can lift heavy objects and hurl them hundreds of feet through the air.
This means that the table you sit at in your backyard enjoying outdoor evening meals can turn into a battering ram that hits your roof, windows, or other parts of your home, depending on the direction and intensity of hurricane winds. The same is true for businesses that may leave outdoor furnishings for patio dining unattended on their property during a storm. If time allows, secure these outdoor items to prevent them from being hurled at your own building.
Strap Your Roof
Another common way for water damage to hit a property is not from below but above. It’s not unusual for hurricane-force winds to rip shingles from a roof, but in more extreme cases, enough shingles—or the entire roof itself—can be ripped off completely, exposing the attic, crawlspace, or another area of the building to the rains of the hurricane.
Tools known as hurricane straps or clips can help secure your roof and keep it down. While it is not an absolute guarantee—especially against the strongest hurricanes—in many other circumstances, this often means the difference between an intact home and one with the roof torn away.
Personal Protection
Last but certainly not least, home and business owners should prepare themselves for a hurricane. Be prepared for the possibility of no electricity or access to conventional supplies for quite some time. Prepare at least three days of food and water. Have a first aid kit accessible. Don’t forget personal hygiene and other sanitation supplies, such as toilet paper. Bring batteries and additional sources of light, such as candles with matches, flashlights, or even emergency power storage for recharging phones, flashlights, and other devices. If you have pets, take supplies that can also keep them going during a storm.
Also, prepare an evacuation plan. If you are in a family, you can’t necessarily count on the entire family being together at the time of a storm. Have contingencies in place for what to do if family members get separated.
By preparing your property and yourselves, you can get through a storm without taking on any more damage than is necessary. And once you’re ready to take the next step and need water damage repair and restoration in Tampa, Florida, contact Drywizard Restoration & Drywall Inc. at (813) 684-4800 or our 24-hour line at (888) 694-9273.
