Structural damage is not something that you want to have in and around your home because it may be compromising other areas of the home. Not only that, but it poses a danger to you and your household if you don’t get it fixed as soon as possible. With that being said, here are some tips on what to do when you have structural damage in your home.
Assess The Damage
Firstly, it’s always important to assess the damage when it comes to a particular area or areas of concern. You might be able to decipher what seems to be wrong but it depends on how much of the area you can see and how much might be hidden from sight. It’s also good to get as much information as you can so that you can keep monitoring the situation whilst waiting for those who can come and fix it. It can often be that things can get worse, so if you’ve got a big gaping hole in the ceiling, then chances are, more of that ceiling might come off, and so it’s worth noting how big the damage might be and whether any other parts of the surrounding area, are at risk.
If it helps, it might be worth taking photos of the damage and then taking another photo whenever you feel it’s necessary. It might be the next day or 12 hours later depending on how much is occurring over a period of time.
Remove Any Nearby Valuables
When you’ve got a certain type of structural damage that poses a danger to other areas of your home, you may want to try and remove any nearby valuables. This sort of damage is something you want to do damage control on. The less that can be affected or damaged is good so try to stay on top of clearing the area and anything that you don’t want to get damaged.
Call In The Professionals
As soon as you’ve spotted that there’s an issue, regardless of whether it seems pressing or not, you should call in the professionals as soon as possible. As it’s been said, it’s not simply a case of what you can see, but there might be a lot more hidden out of sight, and that’s why you need to be hot on getting the right people in to fix the problem as soon as possible. A chimney repair contractor is also better than you or a friend of yours who might not have the experience or skill set, risking life and limb.
Get Everything Checked Annually
It’s always good to keep an eye on everything when it comes to your home and so if something like this has happened to you, then be sure to get certain parts of your home checked every year. That might be your roofing to your basement if you have one. Stay on top of those checks!
Structural damage is an emergency that needs sorting as soon as possible, so make sure you’re on it.