After a tornado or severe thunderstorm damages your home, make sure everyone is safe, stay away from downed power lines and damaged structures, and shut off utilities if you smell gas or see sparks. Then photograph the damage, cover openings to keep rain out, and get water and wet materials dried quickly to prevent more damage.
Severe weather is part of life in Overland Park, Olathe, Lenexa, Leawood and the rest of Johnson County. Most storms hit in spring and early summer, but strong thunderstorms can roll through the Kansas City metro in fall too, and the damage they leave behind does not wait for good weather to get worse.
This guide covers the first hours and days after a storm: what to do first, what to check inside and out, how to keep your documentation in order, and when to bring in help.
Is it safe to go back inside after a tornado or severe storm?
Not always. Before you go back in, walk around the outside and look for warning signs. Stay out if you see any of these:
- A smell of natural gas or a hissing sound near the meter or appliances.
- Downed power lines on or near the house, the yard or a fence. Treat every line as live.
- Shifted walls, a sagging roof or a damaged foundation.
- Water near the electrical panel or outlets.
- A tree resting on the roof or leaning against the house.
If you smell gas, leave right away and call your gas utility or emergency services from a safe distance. Do not flip light switches or use anything that could make a spark.
First Steps After Storm Damage
Once everyone is safe, work through these steps. They are listed in the order that protects your home and your claim the most.
- Check on people and pets. Make sure everyone is accounted for and keep children and animals away from debris, broken glass and nails.
- Shut off utilities if needed. Turn off the main water valve if a pipe broke, and turn off power at the panel if water reached electrical equipment and you can reach the panel without standing in water.
- Photograph and video everything. Capture the outside of the house from every side, the roof from the ground, broken windows, interior water and damaged belongings. Do this before you clean or move anything. Document everything for your insurance company.
- Stop more damage. Cover broken windows and holes with plastic or plywood, put a tarp over roof damage if it can be done safely, and place buckets under drips. Keep receipts for supplies.
- Move belongings away from water. Get furniture, rugs, electronics and papers out of wet rooms.
- Report the damage. Check your policy for reporting deadlines and steps, and contact your insurance company.
- Start drying. The EPA advises drying wet building materials within 24 to 48 hours. Wet carpet, drywall and insulation that sit longer are more likely to need replacement.
- Keep a log. Write down who you talked to, when, and what was said. Save every receipt for repairs, supplies and temporary housing.
What kinds of damage do tornadoes and severe storms cause?
Severe weather damages homes in several ways at once, and the damage you see first is not always the damage that costs the most.
Wind damage. Straight-line winds and tornadoes tear off shingles, siding, soffits and gutters, break windows and drop trees on roofs. Even a near miss can loosen flashing or lift shingles enough to leak later.
Water intrusion. Once the roof or a window is open, rain pours in. Water runs through attic insulation, down inside walls and across ceilings, and it often ends up in a finished basement.
Flying debris. Branches, fencing and items from neighboring yards puncture roofs, siding and windows.
Power loss. Outages stop sump pumps right when heavy rain is falling, which is how a storm can flood a basement that never floods otherwise.
Hail. Hail can come with the same storms, cracking shingles, denting gutters and breaking skylights.
What should I check inside my home after a storm?
Once the house is safe to enter, go room by room with a flashlight.
- Ceilings. Look for stains, sagging or bubbling paint, especially on the top floor and below roof valleys.
- Attic. Check for daylight through the roof, wet insulation and dripping roof boards.
- Walls around windows and doors. Wind-driven rain can push water past frames that normally stay dry.
- Basement. Check floors, walls and the sump pit. If the power went out, the sump pump may have stopped.
- Floors. Look for wet carpet, cupping hardwood or soft spots.
- Electrical. If any outlets, switches or fixtures got wet, leave those circuits off and have an electrician check them.
Why do Johnson County homes need a careful inside check?
A lot of homes across Overland Park, Olathe and Shawnee have finished basements, and many have two or three levels above them. Water that enters through a damaged roof can travel down through several floors before you see it, soaking insulation and drywall on the way.
Housing age varies widely across the area. Neighborhoods in Prairie Village, Mission and Merriam include many homes from the 1950s and 1960s, while much of south Overland Park, Olathe and Shawnee was built in the 1990s and later. Older homes may have materials and wiring that need extra care during cleanup. Newer homes often have open layouts where water and debris spread farther across a single floor.
Mature trees are also common in older neighborhoods. They make storms more likely to send a limb through a roof, and they can keep parts of a roof shaded and wet for days afterward.
What if the power stays out after the storm?
Long outages bring their own problems. Without power, sump pumps stop, dehumidifiers and fans cannot run, and a wet basement stays wet. If you use a portable generator, run it outside, well away from doors, windows and vents, and never in a garage or basement. Keep the refrigerator and freezer closed as much as possible. When power returns, check the sump pump first and start drying any wet areas right away.
How do I keep my insurance documentation organized?
Good records make the process smoother. A few tips:
- Take wide shots of each room, then close-ups of each damaged item.
- Do not throw out damaged materials until they have been photographed, and ask your insurer whether they need to see them.
- Make a list of damaged belongings with approximate age and where they were in the house.
- Keep copies of every estimate, invoice and receipt.
- Ask any contractor for a written scope of work before they start.
Your insurance company decides what your policy covers. Clear documentation helps everyone understand what happened.
How do I avoid storm chasers after a big storm?
After major storms, contractors from outside the area often knock on doors. Some do good work, and some disappear after taking a deposit. Before you sign anything, ask for a local address, proof of insurance and their Johnson County contractor license. Johnson County requires roofing, electrical, plumbing and mechanical contractors to be licensed with the county. Get a written estimate and never pay the full amount up front.
When should I call a restoration company?
Call a professional storm damage team when water got inside the house, when the roof or a wall is open to the weather, when a tree hit the home, or when you are not sure how far the damage goes.
A restoration crew tarps and boards up openings, extracts water, measures moisture in hidden areas, removes wet materials that cannot be saved and dries the structure with commercial equipment. They also keep photos and moisture logs that support your claim. Your roofer and other trades can then make repairs on a dry, documented structure.
We Are Here After the Storm
Storm cleanup is hard enough without guessing at the next step. If a tornado or severe thunderstorm has damaged your home in Overland Park, Olathe, Lenexa, Leawood, Shawnee or anywhere in our Johnson County service area, call Best Option Restoration of Overland Park 24/7 for storm damage restoration.