Comprehensive Guide to Prepare for Disasters and Emergencies

Tips for safeguarding yourself from the devastating effects of natural disasters, severe weather events, and emergency situations.

Ways to Reduce Property Damage

  • Trim back trees that are too close to your house or in the vicinity of power lines.
  • Clear out your gutters and downspouts of debris.
  • Inspect the underside of your roof for signs of leaks and address them immediately.
  • Remove all obstructions from your walkways and driveways.
  • Ensure your chimney is in good working order and clean.
  • Insulate all water pipes to prevent freezing.
  • Have a battery backup for your electric smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.
  • Check the heating system and ensure all vents are receiving adequate heat.
  • Keep the dryer vent unobstructed to avoid a fire hazard.
  • Consider installing storm shutters or pre-cut covers for all windows.

Preparing for Disasters

Review your insurance policies to determine if they provide adequate coverage, including flood insurance. If unsure, consult your insurance agent or company. To get a rough idea of rebuilding costs, reach out to local contractors.

Understand your policy coverage, such as whether it allows you to hire someone for emergency repairs, whether you will be reimbursed for repairs you make yourself, or if it covers expenses to bring homes up to the current building code.

Document your personal property with photographs, model numbers, serial numbers, and purchase information. Store copies of these and your insurance policies in a safe location away from home. Use the Home Inventory Checklist from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) as a guide. Consider taking a video or photographic inventory of each room in your house and storing this visual record outside of your home.

Familiarize yourself with your community’s emergency plan and create an emergency supplies kit. Include a disposable camera and a notebook with pens to document losses. Make sure to add the phone numbers of your insurance agent, insurance company’s local claims office, and home office to your list of emergency contacts.

How to Deal with Disaster and Insurance Claims

Make sure everyone in your household is safe and accounted for before attempting to address any property damage.

Notify your insurance company as soon as possible to begin the claims process. Be sure to provide as much detail as possible about the damage.

In the meantime, take necessary steps to prevent further damage to your property. 

Cover any holes in the roof or windows, remove water from the house, and make sure your address is visible from the street.

Keep important papers and items not covered by insurance in a safe and secure location.

Take photographs of the damage before you begin any repairs, and keep all receipts and documentation of your expenses.

Record all conversations with your insurance company, including the date, time, and names of people involved.

Safety Precautions After a Flood

  • Familiarize yourself with your homeowners and/or flood insurance policy and keep it with you if you evacuate.
  • Wait for news reports on the safety of your community’s water supply before drinking any tap water.
  • Avoid floodwaters, as they can be contaminated with sewage, chemicals, or electricity.
  • Be aware of weakened roads and buildings after a flood.
  • Report downed power lines to the power company and stay away from them.
  • Only return home when authorities indicate it is safe.
  • Use caution when entering buildings, especially foundations, as there may be hidden damage.
  • Service any damaged septic tanks or sewage systems as soon as possible to prevent health hazards.
  • Clean and disinfect everything that came into contact with floodwater, as mud can contain harmful substances.
  • Contact a professional water damage restoration company.

 

 

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All Reviews 4.9google logoGoogle 4.8
Overall Rating
4.9 60 reviews
kendell clark Avatar
kendell clark
4/14/2025
After our house flooded on Christmas we called Houston Restore Pros and they took time from their holiday to come out and assist us and walk us through the next steps. From mitigation to reconstruction the process was seamless and the experience was great. The office worked side by side with our insurance and got all the tough questions answered for us and handled everything on that end. They were able to restore my home to even better than they found it. We’re very happy we choose Houston Restore Pros.
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Carol Smith Avatar
Carol Smith
4/14/2025
Houston Restore Pros worked well with our insurance. Joe and crew were compassionate and highly efficient at the moisture mitigation. Joel was great at coordinating the different phases and letting us know what to expect. Dennis and team Manuel, Daniel, and Alex went above and beyond expectations! Joe and Kirk and their crews carefully moved the furniture out and back. I would hire this group again!
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Derek Pruitt Avatar
Derek Pruitt
4/05/2025
Ben was prompt with communication and they did nice work
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JOEY Avatar
JOEY
4/05/2025
Ben and his team completed this project for us as sewer water backed up into the home. They did the demo which consisted of removing the base boards, tile/wood flooring, sheet rock, shower, etc. They put back the home in a timely and professional manner!
They installed sheet rock, tape and float, installed base boards, painted walls and trim, built a new vanity and painted, installed new plumbing fixtures, completed the tile shower with pan, tile in bath areas, and wood in bedrooms and living areas. Very reasonable pricing and completed a few small extras without hassling for additional monies.
I highly recommend Houston Restore Pro to complete any project you may have at your home or office!
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Van Ho Avatar
Van Ho
4/05/2025
Houston Restore did an amazing job on my property. Got Water damage and they arrived in 3 hours to dry out everything. Then Ben took care the restoration . He finish entire house in 2 months and my house turn out so beautiful .
I would recommend Houston restore to everyone
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Maria Lopez Avatar
Maria Lopez
4/05/2025
These guys are lifesavers. They are available 24/7. They provided excellent, professional service and did not leave until the job was done.Thanks to Joe, Jose, Josue, Joyce, and Joel.
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Danielle Beckcom Avatar
Danielle Beckcom
3/05/2025
Ben and his team at Houston Restore Pros were absolutely fantastic! From start to finish, they demonstrated professionalism, efficiency, and outstanding attention to detail. They went above and beyond to ensure everything was handled with care, and their expertise was evident in the quality of their work. Communication was seamless, and they were always available to answer any questions along the way. If you’re looking for a reliable and skilled restoration team, look no further—Houston Restore Pros is the best in the business. Highly recommend!
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stephen cunada Avatar
stephen cunada
2/05/2025
We had a little flooding inside our house back in July 2024 and when we informed our insurance company, they have suggested Houston Restore Pros as one of the cleanup company. In a matter of few hours, Joe was at the house supervising the mitigation process which they did meticulously. We were satisfied with the results that we decided to let them finish the restoration and reconstruction of the entire first floor under the able watch of Ben who was very responsive to all our questions and making sure that he corrected everything that needed to be addressed promptly. I would highly recommend Houston Restore Pros to anyone who would be in the same predicament. Thanks again Joe, Ben and the entire crew.
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B B Avatar
B B
2/05/2025
Our house flooded in May and needed to be restored from 2 feet up down to the concrete foundation. Houston Restore Pros had us back in our house in December and it looks better than it did before the flood. Ben was very helpful during the process and whenever we needed a repair fixed or changed he was easy to get ahold of and was quick to send out someone to fix it. You can tell that he really cares about his customers. I've added some photos of the demo and the finished home. It really is beautiful.
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Lee Tilley Avatar
Lee Tilley
2/05/2025
Slow water leak ruined my life! These guys put it back together from start to finish. Ben & his team were great to work with. He was always available, this man needs a promotion.
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Cat Ferguson Avatar
Cat Ferguson
2/05/2025
I would like to take a moment to commend Ben Sos, Project Manager at Houston Restore Pros, for his exceptional professionalism and courteous demeanor throughout our project. Ben consistently demonstrated a remarkable ability to effectively manage tasks and ensure that the right team members were assigned to meet our needs.

His patience and understanding were particularly noteworthy; he was always available to address my concerns, even during moments of distress, and handled each situation with grace and empathy. Ben truly goes above and beyond for his clients, and his commitment to delivering outstanding service is evident in every interaction.

I wholeheartedly recommend Ben Sos for any project, as I am confident that his dedication and expertise will lead to successful outcomes.
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Jenny Ryan Avatar
Jenny Ryan
1/05/2025
Houston Restore Pros Joe Contreras and his team expertly handled the water mitigation in my home after my attic leaked, and Ben Sosa and his team beautifully restored my floors and the ceiling and sheetrock damage. They respond promptly to communication and guide their customers through each step of the process. Their care for their customers shows in all aspects of the company. I would recommend Houston Restore Pros to anyone.
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Rasheed Bangee Avatar
Rasheed Bangee
11/05/2024
Mr. Ben Sosa stayed on the top till the job is complete. Joe, Isaac Escobar and all are excellent along with Ben.
Worry free for one. They took care of all including contacting insurance company. Pictures are before and after.
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Helen Castillo Avatar
Helen Castillo
11/05/2024
Ben did a fantastic job him and his crew. They did repairs to my house and also painted it great job Ben
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Satish Mani Avatar
Satish Mani
10/05/2024
HRP were awesome. They came, understood our challenges and resolved each and every one of them. Ben their Project Manager especially understood our concerns and went way beyond to resolve our issues. Highly recommend HRP for any House restoration issues.
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