Homeowner 101: Home Care After a Major Winter Storm

Congrats! You’ve survived Winter Storm Viola, aka Wintergeddon 2021, and now have the task of assessing your home for damage. Your Southern US home endured conditions it wasn't built for: over a week of sub-freezing temperatures, snow accumulation, and possibly power and water loss. It is important to care for your biggest investment and prepare for the next storm by acting now. Storm damage is usually covered by home insurance, but timing is of the essence so that a small problem now does not become a catastrophe later. Documentation is also critical after this or any other storm. Make sure to take pictures and detailed notes of your home, even for seemingly minor things.

Frozen kitchen sink

Restoring Power and Water

If you lost power for extended amounts of time, first check your breaker box. Make sure none of the breakers were tripped when power was restored. If you see any tripped breakers, unplug or turn off any appliances or electronics that draw power. Then, attempt to turn the breaker back on. If the breaker trips again, the problem might lie in the wiring and could require an electrician. If the breaker stays on, slowly re-introduce your appliances and electronics to that breaker. If it trips again, you are overloading the breaker and need to move something to a different outlet to reduce the load. Make sure to check all appliances and power strips for any damage to the plug, such as burn marks or melted plastic.

Many homeowners lost water or even cut water off themselves during the storm. If you chose to shut the water off at the main valve due to lost power, you likely saved your pipes from severe damage. This was quick-thinking winterizing during an emergency. If you were unable to shut off power and your pipes froze, your home might have suffered a myriad of damage. Use a water key to shut off water to your home before temperatures rise. Keep all the faucets and shower heads fully open and wait until temperatures reach above freezing inside your home before slowly re-opening your valves. Make sure to start slowly and monitor reduction of water pressure. If you find a large leak anywhere on your property but don’t own a water key, call 311 to have them shut off the water, then call a plumber.

Checking for Visible Damage

After the storm has passed, walk through your home to check for any leaks. This includes leaks from faucets, exposed plumbing, pipes behind walls, and leaks from your roof or chimney. Obvious leaks will be spewing water in your face or spilling it into the street. More subtle evidence of leaks from the roof includes new water stains on the ceiling, wallpaper or paint separating from the tops of the walls, and of course water where there shouldn’t be water. If you don’t already own a water meter key for your home, go ahead and invest in one.

Water Meter Key Stock Image

Water Meter Key from Home Depot

Outside Damage

As soon as it is safe to do so, check damage to all aspects of the exterior of your home. Pull out your ladder and climb on the roof for an up-close look at shingles, soffits, chimneys, gutters, and windows. Clear any debris or standing ice or snow from walkways and off the roof. If you don’t already have one, now is a good time to start a timeline collection of pictures of your home. Even if you don’t see damage now, maintaining good pictures of the condition of your home for insurance purposes is key. Fix all damage to your roof or chimney immediately. Check for damaged trees or other vegetation, as well as damage to fences or retaining walls. Also keep an eye out for damage by rodents or other animals that might have attempted to find refuge inside your home. Make sure all your exterior lights are in working order.

Checking for Hidden Damage

Hidden water damage from leaky pipes can pose a large problem for a homeowner in the long run. A reduction in water pressure can be evidence of a hidden leak. To determine if you have a leak, turn off all faucets and ice makers and check your water meter. If everything inside the house is turned off yet your water meter is moving, you have a leak somewhere. Shut the water off at the meter using a water key and call a plumber. To locate the leak yourself, walk throughout your home and listen for any drips or sounds of running water below the floor or inside the walls. Once it is dry outside, you can check around the foundation where plumbing exists for wet cement. Drywall and siding will be moist and soft to the touch. Leaks after a storm can appear anywhere, so make sure to check closets and corners.

Hidden water damage

Dealing with Insurance

As mentioned before, documentation is crucial. Take pictures of everything and keep all receipts from emergency repairs. Do not expect the insurance company to reimburse you for repairs without an invoice from a company on letterhead paper. Some insurance companies are more lenient than others after a major storm, but it is better to be safe than sorry. To cover all your bases, ask for a physical receipt if you need to purchase materials for your home or if you needed to stay in a hotel. Don’t rely on verbal quotes from contractors: ask for a physical or emailed copy to send to your insurance.

Be Prepared

Look to the future and prepare for the next storm by learning from this one. Invest in a water key and purchase emergency supplies. Learn where the plumbing exists in your home. Identify any problem areas on your roof or in your yard where ice, snow, or water might accumulate in the future. Review your home insurance policy for coverage. Take stock of emergency water supplies and food. Most importantly, stay calm and be prepared.