Here's a full transcript of the episode.
Rob: "Ask the Expert," on the air. Greg Marcyniuk, Heritage Insurance. Greg was earlier this year in the springtime we talked about the upcoming summer storm season while it's upon us, and it'll be with us over the course of the summer. "Do you have a Summer Storm Plan?" That's the topic on, "Ask the Expert," today?
Greg: That's right, Rob. It's always best to be proactive and be prepared if we do have a major storm in the city. I know we've had it in the past, and our phones just ring right off the hook. So, a lot of times when you're going through first and foremost after storm is, make sure safety first, like do not stay in a damaged building or enter a damaged building. So, if you smell natural gas or you hear a hissing sound, open a window, get out and contact the gas company. As far as sparks or any broken wires, if they're around anywhere, do not go near it, contact SA Power [SP] and make sure those are taken care of. And if you can get then to your house safely, turn the power off.
The other thing is for roof foundation and chimney cracks, you wanna make sure that you do a close examination of the building and the structural integrity of the building. If you see that there is any damage whatsoever, do not enter the building and get professional help to get that fixed as soon as possible.
Water and sewage system. If there's water running, if the pipes are damaged, if there's sewer coming up, make sure you can turn that water off as soon as possible, so there's no more damage being done. Hazardous materials, if there's any hazardous chemicals, raw sewage and any type of those type of fluids, I recommend that you do hire a restorative company so they can come in because first and foremost, they have the knowledge and they have the protective gear and the correct equipment to get that taken care of. Now, if there is a storm, you've got to clean the mess up as soon as possible. And typically, you know, when there's a massive storm within a city, the restorative companies may not be able to come in and do these things for you.
So, first and foremost, you should take pictures of any of the damage and get a good list of what's happening and take whatever reasonable steps you can to get this cleaned up. Like again, turn off any of the waters, remove and clean the broken glass and cover up any broken windows. And if your roof has been damaged, the shingles have flown off, get a tarp and cover it up just so you can prevent, you know, any more damage. And don't throw anything out unless you really have to. And if you do have to make sure you keep a detailed list again and take photos so you can have it for the adjuster.
And also if there's any appliances that have been in contact with the water, including your furnace, get a professional to come out and check it out before you turn them on, very important there because if you do, you could even do more damage. And if you do have any wet or damaged goods at all, you should try and get them and you can store them outside or in a well-ventilated area, as long as they're not contaminated by sewer, if it's just water. And also keep track of your cleaning and any of your supplies, because this could be covered under your claim. So again, these are just tips in the event of a storm and we do have this, you can download it online because it's a good piece of paper to have in your house.
Rob: Yeah. Check it out. All the details on your website.
Greg: That's correct. heritageinsurance.ca or come on down to the corner of Fairford and First, and we'd be more than happy to help you.
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