Which Areas Of The Home Are Most Susceptible To Storm Damage?

Each home posses different exteriors and foundations but when weather such as rain, hail, snow, strong winds and fly debris hits, it's important to know how your home exterior can be damaged. 

Vinyl Siding 

CT vinyl siding is a beautiful option for home exterior but can be easily damaged in a storm. According to the National Storm Damage Center, the three most common types of damage sustained by vinyl siding are:

• "Splits or cracks that run parallel to the siding, often in half-circles, most often found mid-way between the valley and ridges of the panel."
• "A chip is a small piece of siding that has been broken off - typically in the shape of a half-circle at the bottom of a siding panel ridge, where the siding has no inward flexibility to absorb a direct hit. Can best be seen when looking up, from underneath a panel section."
• "In severe storm situations siding can break or holes can be punched into the siding by large hailstones and flying debris. If your siding is broken or has holes in it, then it is no longer protecting your home from the elements and will need to be inspected by a reputable contractor as soon as possible."

Stucco 

Stucco isn't easily damaged but when stronger weather conditions hit, your exterior can be compromised. Storm typically can puncture the stucco creating small and large holes. Some holes are easily noticeable but they may not always be easy to spot. After a storm, walk around your home's exterior and look for any small holes because once a hole has punched through, it will only grow larger over time. This can cause serious damage to the exterior as well as the interior to your home. 

Paint

• Paint can start to chip and peel off leaving the foundation of the house vulnerable, especially to moisture. The water can seep deeper past the paint, allowing mold to form. 
• Your paint over time can start discolor. Discoloration means your exterior paint is getting old and damaged which makes it more susceptible to cracks and peeling. 
• Keep in mind that storms don't just mess up the look of paint but can also cause more damages to your home than you realize. If your paint is starting to crack, peel or lose it's color, you should probably get your home looked at so a small problem doesn't turn into something more severe. 

Wood 

Wood is a very popular building material. There are significant weaknesses in wood that make this material exposed to moisture-related problems. Wood and the cellulose inside wood are a food source for decay fungi, mold, termites and other wood ingesting insects. It is also susceptible to dimensional instability, racks, splits and bows. Moisture easily seeps into the wood and these issues occur more frequently. 

Brick Exterior

According to the National Storm Center, "many owners of brick homes overlook damage to their home until it is too late to file an insurance claim. While brick stands up well to most storm damage, the trim, window casings, gutters, metal flashing, vents and roof are highly susceptible to costly damage. Since storm damage is covered under most insurance policies, if you have a brick home, make sure you get a full property damage inspection from insurance restoration contractors as soon as possible."