What to Do After Storm Damage Affects Your Business

When severe weather strikes, only the most prepared businesses stay operational. As one of the leading restoration companies in Shreveport, Putman Restoration understands that your commercial property is your livelihood.

With hurricane season starting June 1 each year, you need a clear plan before you ever hear the first tropical storm warning to secure your building and protect assets. That’s what we’re going to cover here, so you can go into storm season ready. Our 24/7 emergency services team stands ready to respond to wind damage, flooding, and structural failures, guiding you through every step of the storm damage restoration process.

How to Prepare Your Commercial Property Before a Storm

Secure Loose Objects and Protect Windows

Begin by surveying your grounds for anything that high winds could turn into projectiles—patio furniture, signage, equipment, landscaping materials. Anchor or store these items indoors. For windows and glass doors, install hurricane shutters or board them up with exterior-grade plywood cut to size and fastened with corrosion-resistant screws.

Reinforce garage and roll-up doors with bracing kits certified for wind loads. Securing entry points early prevents broken glass, water intrusion, and interior damage when gusts exceed 70 mph.

Service Roof and Gutters Before Hurricane Season Starts

Debris, loose shingles, and clogged gutters all magnify water infiltration risk during heavy rainfall. Schedule a professional roof inspection no later than mid-May to identify weak spots, missing flashing, or damaged sealant.

Clear leaves and sediment from gutters and downspouts to ensure rapid drainage. Consider adding gutter guards to reduce clogging, and verify that downspout extensions direct water at least ten feet from your foundation. Routine maintenance minimizes leaks and foundation washout, critical when storm damage restoration requires dry, stable structures.

Develop an Emergency Response Plan and Backup Power Strategy

Create a written plan that assigns roles—who shuts off utilities, who moves critical files, and who contacts insurers and service partners. Map evacuation routes and post them in break rooms. Test your fire and intrusion alarms, and ensure backup generators or UPS systems are serviced, fueled, and capable of powering essential circuits such as lighting, security, and refrigeration.

Store extra fuel or battery packs on-site in approved containers. A rehearsed response minimizes downtime, preserves critical systems, and gives employees clear instructions when every second counts.

Immediate Actions After Storm Damage

Ensure Safety and Document Damage for Insurance

Before re-entering your building, inspect for structural instability, exposed wiring, and standing water near electrical panels. If you suspect gas leaks, notify utility providers and evacuate until cleared.

Once safe, photograph every instance of roof penetration, wall cracks, broken windows, and interior flooding from multiple angles. Include time-stamped shots of downed trees or damaged equipment. Detailed documentation streamlines claims processing and provides a clear baseline for storm damage restoration.

Call Emergency Storm Damage Restoration Services

Contact our 24/7 emergency hotline as soon as you’re able. Provide your location, a brief damage overview, and any immediate hazards you’ve identified. Our rapid-deploy teams arrive with tarping supplies, water extraction units, dehumidifiers, and board-up materials to stabilize your property. We coordinate directly with your insurance adjuster and local authorities to expedite approvals, then implement a full restoration plan so you can get back up and running.

Stabilizing and Mitigating Further Loss

Temporary Boarding Up and Tarping

Once initial safety checks are complete, your next priority is to seal damaged openings to prevent further water or wind intrusion. Putman Restoration emergency board-up crews install exterior-grade plywood over broken windows and doors, fastening panels with corrosion-resistant screws.

For roof damage, we apply heavy-duty tarps secured with battens or sandbags to channel rainwater away from interior spaces. These temporary repairs stabilize the structure, protect inventory and equipment, and satisfy most insurance carriers’ reasonable-mitigation requirements until permanent restoration begins.

Water Extraction and Structural Drying

Accumulated water left standing in flooring, wall cavities, or ceiling spaces can lead to mold growth within 24 hours.

Our team deploys truck-mounted extractors to remove pooled water at rates up to 100 gallons per minute. Commercial-grade dehumidifiers and high-volume air movers then create a controlled drying environment, reducing humidity and evaporating moisture from wood, concrete, and drywall.

We use moisture meters and thermal imaging to verify that every hidden pocket is dry before rebuilding, preventing secondary damage and ensuring a healthy indoor environment.

Choosing a Trusted Partner for Full Restoration

When your business needs comprehensive storm damage restoration, local expertise matters.

Putman Restoration offers decades of experience serving Shreveport and the surrounding region, with 24-hour dispatch and in-house crews for every trade. We manage permits, insurance coordination, and all reconstruction work under a single contract, so you avoid juggling multiple contractors.

Our certified technicians follow IICRC and RIA standards, and our transparent estimates and progress reporting keep you informed at every stage. Learn more on our Why Choose Us page and see why businesses rely on us for lasting, code-compliant repairs.

Stay Open Through the Storm with Putman Restoration

Minimizing downtime is critical for your bottom line. By combining rapid emergency response, temporary stabilization, and full-scale restoration, Putman Restoration helps you reopen faster and stronger. Our integrated approach keeps employees safe, protects assets, and preserves your reputation, even when severe weather threatens to disrupt operations.

Leading Storm Damage Restoration in Shreveport, Louisiana

Serving Shreveport, Bossier City, and communities across northwest Louisiana, Putman Restoration provides emergency board-up, water extraction, structural drying, and complete rebuild services for commercial properties of all sizes.

Our team documents every step, coordinates directly with insurers, and maintains clear communication from first call to final inspection. Call us at 318-453-5029 or contact us online to get started.