When your house has been affected by a natural disaster like a fire, flood, or tornado, it can be difficult to know how to recover. It’s an emotional and often labor-intensive process to restore your home to its former glory, but with a little help and time, your house can return to its normal state.
We’re here to help you restore your home to normalcy after disaster strikes. The following 3 tips will help guide you.
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Start with the Funny Odors
After disaster strikes, people often think to restore the structural components of their house first. But dealing with secondary problems like lingering smells is an essential part of making your home livable again.
If you’ve dealt with a fire, smelling the smoke over and over again after the blaze is gone can be psychologically traumatizing. You won’t feel at ease in your home until you get rid of the smell. So, even though it might not seem as pressing, focusing on how to get smoke smell out of house after fire should be a priority for you and your loved ones.
Furthermore, beyond being psychologically traumatizing, smells can be an indicator of a larger problem that could cause further harm to your family. For example, after a hurricane or flood, any lingering mildew smells could be an indication of mold in an unseen place.
Mold poses large health risks, and if left untreated could even be deadly. That’s why you should tackle the problem at the origin of the smell, and not just treat the smell itself.
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Read Your Insurance Policy Carefully
The next thing you need to do after dealing with a disaster is carefully read through your insurance policy. Oftentimes, insurers try to skimp out on coverage. Large companies are used to dodging expenses because they count on clients being afraid to question the payout they have been given. However, by simply inquiring about why something wasn’t covered, or asking for a breakdown of their analysis you may be able to negotiate for more coverage. On the other hand, for you not to experience this while claiming. You better check for available insurance plans ahead and ensure you get the right policies and coverages.
It’s especially important to check your policy after the initial shock of the moment has passed. While you are undergoing the trauma of a natural disaster it can be hard to properly decode the legalese in a home or renter’s insurance policy and understand the full extent of what you’re owed. Approaching the document with a clear head will help you ask the right questions and get the money you deserve.
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Don’t Be Afraid to See a Therapist
Lastly, dealing with the emotional toll that comes along with having your home destroyed is a lot to handle, and for some people going to a therapist can make shouldering that burden much easier. Even if you’ve never been to a therapist’s office before, they can be a great way to help you unpack all the feelings you may have after your home doesn’t feel as safe.
Moreover, if you’re struggling to make your kids or partner feel safe at home after a fire, hurricane, or earthquake, a therapist can help you build the right vocabulary and tools to get them to feel at ease once again.
Altogether, though going to therapy can feel like a strange choice after a disaster it’s a logical one. A therapist will help you check in on your feelings after such a stressful event, and help you build tools to manage the stress of dealing with rebuilding your home. Plus, the visits may even be covered by your insurance making it a no or low-cost step to feeling centered again.
Conclusion
All in all, feeling safe in your home again after a natural disaster can take a little time. But when you address the aftereffects both physically and emotionally, and you get your due from your insurance it’ll be easier to find peace in your home once again.