Storm Damage

How to identify and fix storm damage to a full extent

Though you wouldn’t expect them to, windstorms can be subtle about the way they harm your home. Not noticing the full extent of storm damage left behind can easily result in a number of knock-on issues.

Of all the attics we’ve serviced in Iowa, about nine in ten have suffered at least some amount of damage from derecho storms. In a lot of these cases, there was no visible damage on the roof or siding. In the long run, that only made the effect more harmful and costly to fix.

So what is this insidious threat, anyway? Put simply, the wind and the water can combine to wreak havoc on your home. Any kind of roof vents, including vented soffit, can act as a direct channel into the attic. If left unrepaired, these channels opened by the wind can lead to persistent water damage, including condensation issues and mold infestation.

Let’s take a look at how these problems develop, and then propose the steps you can take to prevent or manage them. A long way toward nullifying the worst consequences of storm damage.

For these and all other hard-to-find problems caused by derecho storms, choose Comfort Solutions today!

The knock-on effect of windstorms

During a derecho, the wind can easily crack PVC vent pipes leading through the roof. If this goes unnoticed, unsafe attic conditions will gradually develop. Similarly, the wind can blow loose HVAC bath fan ducts connected to the roof, which increases moisture buildup in the attic. In the weeks and months following the storm, water and mold damage will be sure to follow.

But the wind-driven rain can do more than damage your ventilation system. Perhaps the most serious prolonged consequence of water damage around the vents and pipes is compressing blown-in insulation. Long after the derecho storm has come and gone, you might find that your home is much more difficult to heat or cool. In other words, the R-Value of your insulation is significantly reduced by the wind and water.

Of course, this ends up increasing your utility bills in the long run. Your A/C units are made to run far too often, just to maintain the diminished effect they now have. So just as you start getting less heating, it’s starting to cost you more and more.

The ideal solution would be acting fast to identify and repair the damage at the source. That’s easier said than done, though. What is to be done if this complex issue is already in full swing? Well, that’s when people get into a whole new rigamarole with their insurance provider.

The cost of protecting your home

In our experience, most insurance adjusters will neglect to check the attics for storm damage. Even if claimants get them to do so, odds are they won’t have the know-how to adequately assess the damage. And of course, if any damage goes overlooked, you just don’t get compensated for it. Those knock-on problems that we outlined above? They end up being treated as separate issues, not included in your insurance claim.

So what’s the solution here? Well, we won’t pretend to have the definitive answer to the question of storm damage insurance claims. Still, what we do have is long experience in dealing with insurance adjusters. If you need us to work directly with them and help assess the storm damage correctly, we’d be happy to do so.

The comfort solutions proposition

Very few companies in Eastern Iowa are licensed for both HVAC and insulation repair. The Comfort Solutions Group is one such company. Combined experience in both areas puts us in the best position to assess the full extent of the storm damage your home has suffered. And when the problem is identified in time, solutions become much easier to design and implement.

Furthermore, we also have extensive experience in energy auditing. Our survey and analysis will establish exactly where and why energy is being wasted, proposing a number of fixes to suit any budget. Making sure that your home operates at optimum energy efficiency goes a long way toward nullifying the worst consequences of storm damage.

For these and all other hard-to-find problems caused by derecho storms, choose Comfort Solutions today!