Homeowner Assistance

Inspecting Your Home After The Storm

After experiencing a major weather event, it’s always a good idea to check your home for damages. Even if your home seems to have survived the disaster unscathed, inspecting each area of your home will not only put your mind at ease but also help you avoid more costly repairs in the future. 

Taking the time to check every corner of your home goes a long way in enlisting storm damage repair as early as possible and keeping the structure secure. Most importantly, it’s a practical way to protect yourself and your loved ones from health and safety hazards that may arise from unaddressed damages.  

It is essential to involve your homeowner insurance provider right away to properly file a claim according to their requirements. Take pictures during the inspection process to aid you in filing an insurance claim.

With this, inspecting your property for hidden storm damage is easier said than done. To help you properly and meticulously go through your home, here’s a quick checklist of the most crucial spots to check: 

Inspect the Roof

While your roof has been specifically built to keep the elements out, it’s still susceptible to damage. For example, airborne tree branches and debris during a strong storm can leave dents or holes when crashing into your roof. 

Once the storm has subsided, look for the following signs of damage:

  • Cracked, broken, curling, or missing shingles
  • Holes or gaps on the tiles  
  • Large branches, leaves, or other debris in the spouts and gutters
  • Damage to the chimney’s exterior

5 POTENTIAL SIGNS OF A ROOF LEAK:

Water spots on ceilings or walls

Missing shingles

Cracked or damaged shingles

Missing or damaged flashing or boot covers to roof penetrations

Water spots or wet roof decking (seen through attic)

Check All Exterior Walls

While some may think enlisting storm damage repair is unnecessary, especially if you don’t see any obvious issues with your exterior walls. It pays off to remember that hidden damage can also take the form of: 

  • Cracking, breaking, or splitting 
  • Paint removal or chipping
  • Dents 
  • Damaged, missing, or discolored siding 

Solid building materials like bricks can also suffer from storm damage, so it’s best to look closely at your walls after a storm. 

Ensure Your Gutters Aren’t Clogged or Dented

With leaves and small branches being taken by strong winds during a hurricane or tornado, your external gutters and downspouts may have been dented or may have accumulated all kinds of debris. Clogged gutters can cause different issues, like roof leaks, damage to your shingles.

Always check for dead leaves or branches stuck in your gutters and downspouts to prevent the need for more extensive and expensive repairs. 

Check that No Window Is Broken or Left Open

Glass windows are susceptible to breaking, especially when forceful winds hurl debris at them in the middle of a storm. When they do break, flying pieces of shattered glass can cause interior damage, while the opening may allow natural elements into your home. 

With this in mind, not all window damage will be visible right after a storm. To prevent more severe issues, unforeseen or not, it’s best to watch out for the following:

  • Shattered window glass 
  • Rips or holes on screens 
  • Broken window panes 
  • Loose weatherstripping
  • Minor cracks and dents on window frames 

Finally, wear sturdy gloves while inspecting your windows to avoid injuries. If any of your windows are broken, temporarily covering them up with plywood or any large slab of wood will help prevent further damage and ensure your home is safe from any external elements. 

Inspect Your Entry Doors

Severe storms bring about high winds and water pressure that can put excess strain on your entry doors. When they fall off their hinges or sustain holes or cracks, your entry door can easily serve as an opening for water, moisture, and other unwanted elements to enter your home. 

Ensuring your entry doors are still in sturdy condition after a severe storm helps you minimize the damage to your home’s interior. 

Test All Wooden Structures 

Wooden structures outside your home like porches, decks, and fences often take the brunt of the storm including hail damage. But while the severe weather can affect these areas most, taking these steps can help you preserve them:

  • Checking for chipping, cracking, breaking, or other damages. 
  • Watching out for curling or warping on boards. 
  • Securing boards with more screws. 
  • Looking for missing planks, railings, or stairs. 
  • Clearing up debris buildup as soon as possible. 

Check Attics for Water Damage

Since attics are out of sight, they can also be out of your mind most of the time. However, these areas can also experience moisture after a severe storm, and the presence of such elements can eventually lead to more costly and destructive issues. 

Water can enter your attic in different ways: through improper roof drainage, improper pipes, and even condensation from the air. As such, storm damage repair may be necessary if you see any of these signs: 

  • Musty smells in your crawl space /attic
  • Pest infestation and microbial growth 
  • Sagging or sloping ceilings

Keep More Extensive Property Repairs at Bay

While experiencing a storm is both inconvenient and distressing, waiting to repair your home after a storm can create more costly issues in the future. Fortunately, hidden storm damage can be detected early by doing a thorough property check.  

Resolving Entergy Outage Damage to your Home or Personal Property

When you sustain damage associated with an Entergy Louisiana outage, there are two (2) ways to process a claim for damage recovery:

  • Through your homeowners or rental insurance policy OR
  • Through Entergy directly.

How to process an outage damage claim

Entergy Louisiana indicates that storm-related outages should be processed through your homeowners or rental insurance policy. Based on the terms of your insurance policy, you may be reimbursed based on full replacement cost or market value. Per the Entergy Louisiana website, your insurer may be able to reimburse you for your losses without an investigation.

When pursuing a claim directly to Entergy, you have an important role in the claims process. You are responsible for providing evidence of an outage as well as any damage incurred. You should retain copies of all receipts so you can provide full and accurate documentation of any loss or damage sustained. You must also reduce your damages, which means that you have the duty to try to minimize the loss and to make sure that losses or expenses incurred because of an incident are not building up needlessly and that they are reasonable in relation to the loss.

Entergy Louisiana’s indicates their policy is to respond to claims quickly and fairly. They evaluate each claim case-by-case based on the information you provide and their investigation. This can take some time, depending on the complexity of the incident and the quality of information you provide. When their investigation is complete, they will either call you or send you a letter.

Having Problems with Hurricane or Storm Damage Insurance Claims?

Contact the Louisiana Dept of Insurance for Assistance

  • If you believe your insurance company has not handled your claim properly, you may file a complaint with the Louisiana Department of Insurance. We will determine whether your insurance company has followed Louisiana law and abided by the terms of your policy in processing your claim.
    • File a complaint online here.  
    • Contact the Louisiana Department of Insurance Office of Consumer Services at 1-800-259-5300, option #3.
    • Hurricane Ida claims issues must be filed by October 7, 2022.

If you have general questions about your insurance policy, the Louisiana Department of Insurance Office of Consumer Advocacy can help. Dial 1-800-259-5300, option #4.

Tools Lending Library

Mid City Redevelopment Alliance has a Tool Lending Program that provides electronic and manual tools to support home repair and lawn maintenance as well as tents, tables, chairs, etc. to support community activities. The program is open to Baton Rouge residents. Use this link Tool Lending Program to establish an account, sign the usage agreement and to select and reserve needed tools or event supplies. You will be responsible for picking up and returning any items you borrow.

The Restoration Tax Abatement (RTA) is a State incentive providing up to a ten (10) year abatement of property taxes on renovations and improvements of existing commercial structures and owner-occupied residences located in certain areas of the City-Parish.

Southern Heights qualifies for RTA since it is in an economic development district and a federal opportunity zone. The RTA program is a great incentive for renovations/reuse of homes and buildings.  Homeowners and developers may apply for this abatement before they do any major investments to their properties.  

Purpose and Intent:

The RTA is an economic development incentive created by the State for local governments to use to encourage the reuse, expansion, improvement and renovation of existing buildings. Incentives such as the RTA, can be necessary tools to improve older, vacant, blighted or underused properties that would not generate adequate returns on their investments through regular market conditions. RTA’s can be layered with other incentives such as grants, historic tax credits and enterprise zone rebates.

Normally, when a developer/homeowner renovates or adds on to a building, the assessed value goes up, and so do the property taxes. This program “freezes” the taxes at the pre-improvement level and results in a significant savings to the owner and no loss of revenue to the taxing bodies. The abatement period is for 5 years and homeowners can apply for an additional 5 years extension for a total of 10 years. Future tax revenues could increase once the abatement expires and the property is re-assessed.

The City-Parish sees the importance of the RTA as a tool to encourage investment in older neighborhoods and encourage infill development through rehabilitation and reuse of buildings. Resolution 26014 established a policy for the City-Parish to participate in this program as the “local governing authority” and Ordinance 15823 amended the policy and authorized the Planning Commission to receive and process applications.

What You Need to Know

Though the program references applying before renovations begin, there is some leeway for those who have started or completed renovations. In those cases, you may be able to take advantage of the program if you have not paid the increased property taxes due to your improvements. If your improved property taxes are due and you have not completed the restoration tax abatement process, you can contact your tax assessor on how to pay your property taxes in protest.

You can learn the steps to apply from the LA Economic Development Department (LED) using this link. State fees are $200. The application is then forwarded to the EBR Planning Commission. City-Parish fees are $250. Homeowners with renovations costs greater than $10,000 should utilize the program.

Additional information on the program are in the links below.

https://www.brla.gov/2576/Restoration-Tax-Abatement-Program

https://www.brla.gov/DocumentCenter/View/11419/Restoration-Tax-Abatement-2020-Update

BEHIND ON MORTGAGE PAYMENTS OR IN MORTGAGE FORBEARANCE?

Baton Rouge is ranked second highest metro area in the US of cities where homeowners are delinquent in home loan payments, in mortgage forbearance. New Orleans is number one. The mortgage moratorium has ended and impacted homeowners are at risk of foreclosure and eviction. Home owners must take action to address this issue. Resources to address this are listed below. Additional links will be added once available and known.

TALK TO A HUD HOUSING COUNSELOR

HUD provides a free housing hotline and sponsors housing counseling agencies throughout the country to provide free services. Foreclosure prevention counseling and homeless counseling services are available free of charge through HUD’s Housing Counseling Program. Housing Counseling agencies participating in HUD’s Housing Counseling Program are not permitted to charge consumers for these specific housing counseling services. Counseling recipients should not pay for these services. Information is below.

AROUND THE CLOCK ADVICE

You can get around the clock advice from housing experts. Call (888) 995-HOPE (4673) for free, comprehensive foreclosure assistance around the clock.

LOCAL HOUSING COUNSELOR AGENCY ADVICE

WHITE HOUSE FACT SHEET TO REDUCE FORECLOSURES

Actions to Reduce Foreclosures