The Steps To Take When A Tree Falls On A House
What happens if a tree falls on a house?
No one wants to think about what would happen if there’s a storm, and major damage happens to your home. However, you can’t plan for everything and you may experience damage to your property. If a tree has fallen on your roof, what do you do?
Here’s a step-by-step guide as to how to put it right.
Create A Safety Plan
You’ll have some safety plans already in place, such as what to do in case of a fire, but do you have one in case of a fallen tree? If you’re in an area that’s prone to storms, it’s something that you should have in place. Your plan should cover what to do if the worst does happen, so everyone knows what to do.
Designate a meeting spot that’s away from the home outside, where everyone knows to gather in case of an emergency. Ensure that everyone knows where all the exits are, including windows. You should also have an emergency bag near the front door, which contains clothes, water, food, and so on. This will cover you if you’re not able to get back into the house for some time. Finally, have an emergency roofing contractor on call, so you can put the roof right as soon as possible.
Go over your plan with your family, so they know what to do if anything does happen to your roof. The more you prepare, the easier it will be if something does happen.
Evacuate Your Home
The very first thing you must do, if a tree has fallen on your home, is to get out as soon as possible. That tree will pose a danger to you while you’re still there, so you need to get out as soon as possible. It’s best not to move around more than necessary while you’re in the home, so call out to others to find out where they are. Get everyone out quickly and efficiently, assisting those that need it.
As soon as you’re all outside and away from the home, check for any signs of injury. Many injuries will be obvious, but others, such as concussions, won’t be. That way, you’ll be able to report any injuries to the medical staff as soon as they arrive.
Call 911
Even if you think no one is hurt and nothing’s damaged other than your home, you’ll next need to call 911. They will be able to send the right people out and help you take your next steps.
For example, you may think that everyone got out unhurt, but someone may have a head injury that has gone unnoticed. It happens more often than you’d think, so everyone should get checked out sooner rather than later. Plus, a fire crew will need to be sent to evaluate the area and ensure that there’s nothing that can cause harm to you or the public. Public utilities will need to visit too, to check for downed power lines or broken gas lines. Even if you can’t see the damage, it may have happened.
Call A Trusted Roofer
Now that everyone is out and safe, and there are no immediate safety issues that need to be addressed, your next step should be to call a roofing contractor. Ideally, you’ll have found one and saved their number before the tree hit your roof.
It’s not as hard as you’d think to find a good contractor. For these issues, you’ll want to find one that’s local to you, so they can come out and do repairs quickly. That also ensures that they aren’t ‘storm chasers‘, and won’t just take your money and run.
Also, check their experience. Have they been around for a long time? Do they have good reviews on their site? That shows they’re good, as they wouldn’t have stuck around for so long if they hadn’t.
Once you call them, they should come over right away to assess the damage. If there has been a storm, it’s very likely that water is leaking in. They will move to cover up holes with tarps right away, to ensure that there will be no additional damage to deal with. Then, they will fix up any structural damage, to ensure that the house doesn’t take on more damage.
Get A Place To Stay
Now the roof is secured, ensure that you have a place to stay. In some cases, the home will actually be safe to stay in. Your roofer will be able to let you know. If so, this won’t be a problem. If not, you’ll need to find somewhere that you can stay overnight. In some cases, you’ll be able to stay with a friend or family member, so plan this with them in advance if anything happens. If you can’t do this, you’ll need to book a hotel as soon as possible so you can have a place to sleep.
Call The Insurance Company
You have all the basics covered, so now that everything is secure, you can call your insurance company. You’ll need to talk to them as there may be some extra steps that you need to take with them. Also, you’ll need to see if you can claim the costs of repairing the roof on it. If you can, you need to be sure you’re following the right procedure. Ensure you’re taking pictures of the damage, so you’ll have evidence of what happened.
Secure Your Home And Leave
If you need to stay elsewhere, you’ll need to secure your home before you head out. That includes locking all the doors and windows, removing any important documentation, and any valuables. This stops them from being stolen or damaged by the weather.
If a Tree Falls on a House?
Now you know what to do, should anything happen in a storm. Make your plan now, and be prepared to handle everything should a tree land on your roof. Having a plan, and the number of a local emergency roofer in your phone is key. With that, you can make arrangements right away.