Storms can wreak havoc on homes, causing many different types of damage - wind, fire, water, ice, and more. This damage can be minor, or it can be so severe that you aren’t able to inhabit your home until it’s repaired. If bad weather comes and your home shows signs of storm damage, first make sure that you and everyone in the house are safe. Leave the house if it isn’t safe inside and you can safely move outdoors. You will need to call a storm damage recovery service right away to inspect your home and repair the damage.
The table below shows average prices homeowners pay when they need storm damage recovery services. The prices are generally for mild to moderate damage levels, and the procedures in the solutions column are standard, must-have components of the recovery packages offered for each type of damage.
Type | Causes | Problems | Solutions | Recovery Cost |
---|---|---|---|---|
Water | Heavy rain | Soaked carpet hardwood & other materials | Dehumidification Structural drying Draining Cleaning & sanitizing Deodorization | $2,000-$8,000 |
Fire | Wildfires | Soot deposited on surfaces & in materials | Soot-removal film Air duct cleaning Odor removal Structural repairs & replacements | $2,000-$6,000 |
Wind | Tornadoes | Loose shingles 2 & boards | Roof & wall repair Fallen tree removal Structural repairs & replacements | $2,000-$8,000 |
Ice & Snow | Snowstorms | Dents & holes in roofs walls & windows | Structural repairs & replacements Snow & ice removal | $2,000-$5,500 |
Mold | Floods | Toxic mold growth on walls and other materials as well as air ducts | Mold removal Disinfection Deodorization Dehumidification Structural drying Air duct cleaning | $5,00-$6,000 |
Storm damage recovery costs are rarely inexpensive, but severe damages can cost greatly. If your home has severe storm damage of any type, you could pay as much as $10,000-$75,000 for recovery. The costs can rise this high because much of the time they include rebuilding and replacing damaged kitchens, roofs, and other entire structures of the home. For example, roof collapses resulting in extensive recovery needs have average insurance claims of $20,000-$30,000.
Homeowners insurance sometimes covers minor disasters like smashing objects creating leaks, broken pipes, accidental fires, etc. Floods are not usually covered; you need separate flood and other natural disaster insurance to cover associated costs. Contact your insurance provider to clarify what your basic homeowner’s insurance covers, and what you need separate policies for.
Fallen trees may be covered by insurance, depending on the condition the tree was in prior to falling. If the insurance company finds that the tree was rotting or improperly maintained, and thus already at risk of falling, the fall won’t be covered. Tree removals cost $150-$1,500 on average.
Waterproofing your home can help prevent future damages resulting from floods and other water incidents. Basement waterproofing typically costs $5,000. Roof underlayment 3 waterproofing costs $400-$800. Adding waterproof material to exterior walls costs $1,800.
Installing lightning rods can protect your home from being struck by lightning, preventing fire damage. Lightning rods are usually put on roofs, and will draw lightning toward themselves instead of your home. The installation of lightning rods costs $2,500 on average.
Storm doors 4 act as a barrier between the exterior door and the inside of your home, protecting your home from the elements, insects, and pests, and allowing for better airflow. For this example, we’ll look at the cost of installing a standard 36-inch storm door, which averages $250-$400. Installing a storm window costs an average of $275.
Cost to recover from storm damage varies greatly by region (and even by zip code). To get free estimates from local contractors, please indicate yours.