Hurricanes are one of natures most terrifying spectacles. Every year hurricanes cause hundreds of billions of dollars of damage, take countless lives and tear at the fabric of communities across America. Of all the ways hurricanes can do damage (wind, rain and storm surge), water damage is by far the most destructive.
Not only can water knock a foundation off it’s moorings, the majority of the damage water does is after the storm is over. While Florida and other southern states get much of the attention for major hurricanes, over fifty hurricanes or named tropical storms have impacted New Jersey over the past 22 years.
Water damage from hurricane in NJ? Contact MSE
How to Prevent Water Damage Before a Hurricane?
Preventing water damage from a hurricane or tropical storm is very difficult. While sandbags and boarding up windows can do a lot to mitigate water damage, if your home is in the path of a major storm, there isn’t much you can do to prevent water damage. These storms are often just too powerful to prevent major damage.
Moisture Science Environmental offers waterproofing services that may help minimize the water damage from a NJ hurricane. Call us to discuss some potential solutions to preventing water damage before a hurricane in New Jersey.
How to Fix Water Damage After a Hurricane?
There are a number of levels of damage that a home or business can sustain during a hurricane or tropical storm in NJ. The majority of damage will be relative minor, such as flooded basements or low-lying first floors. The most important thing to do is properly dry out what became wet and make sure there are preventive mold treatments performed where needed. While extremely disruptive and inconvenient, this type of damage is typically below the $20,000 threshold and can be handled by local water damage companies.
The next level of damage is sub-catastrophic. This typically falls in the <$100,000 range and can also be handled by local water damage restoration companies. This type of damage causes widespread damage to the majority of living areas on multiple levels. Homeowners will often have to move out of the property for a period of time while repairs are made.
The final category is catastrophic. Catastrophic damage is caused by major storm surge, greater than six inches of rain in 48hrs, and results in structural damage to the property. Catastrophic damage often results in the total loss of the home.
When Is It Safe to Move Back in After Water Damage?
Depending on the level of damage to the home, either an insurance claims adjuster or a water damage restoration company will let the homeowner know it is safe to move back in. The homeowner should be vigilant over the coming months to make sure no musty odors arise or other signs of lingering/unseen water damage that wasn’t caught.
If you only experienced minor water damage to the point you did not inform your insurance, you may still want to perform an air quality test to determine if the issue is resolved. Email info@moisturescience.com with your questions to learn more.
Learn how to test air quality in your own home
Hurricane Sandy Damages
Hurricane Sandy was the most deadly and destructive hurricane ever to hit New Jersey. My company was dispatched to the scene 1 week after the storm water subsided and 2 months before any non-emergency personnel was allowed back to the area.
What I witnessed will live with me for the rest of my life. I saw million-dollar beachfront homes turned into matchsticks. I saw an entire block of beachfront homes, all pushed off their foundations and 100 yards inland (some were upside-down).
The thing that stuck with me the most was seeing how a storm could devastate an entire state: north, south, east, west and everywhere in between. We worked for six straight months, six days a week on over 50 homes and we barely scratched the surface. So many people did not have the right flood insurance and had to pay for the damage themselves. It truly destroyed many lives, both emotionally and financially.
Contact MSE to discuss my history with hurricane sandy damage in New Jersey. A conversation with an experienced mold expert can be insightful to potentially mitigate damages from a hurricane in NJ.
What to Do About Mold After a Hurricane?
If you control the moisture, you control the mold. Mold is always a concern after any major storm event. The most important thing to do is make sure a licensed and certified water damage restoration company certifies that the home is dry.
This does not mean dry to the touch or it looks dry, this means structurally dry. This requires a moisture meter which can measure the moisture content of numerous types of materials such as wood, sheetrock and concrete. MSE is an industry expert in mold abatement and mold remediation. We provide support during the entire mold process, from your initial mold inspection to your foundation restoration after mold removal.
