Storm Damage in Asheville, From Fallen Tree to Finished Ceiling

Wind on Saturated Ground

The National Weather Service's summary of Helene describes frequent gusts of 55 to 70 mph across the western Carolinas, with occasional gusts to 80 mph. Combined with saturated soils, that brought hundreds of trees down on houses, vehicles and power lines. Across the region, most people lost power for at least a couple of days, and thousands were without it for a week or more, which meant no sump pumps, dehumidifiers or fans.

Right After

• Stay out of rooms where the ceiling sags or the tree is still resting on the structure.
• Leave tree removal on a damaged house to a tree service.
• Shut off power at the panel to wet rooms if you can reach it safely.
• Photograph the roof, the tree, the rooms and contents before anything moves.

Our Process

1. Cover. Tarps or temporary boarding over openings once the tree is cleared.
2. Extract. Water out of floors and carpet.
3. Open up. Wet ceiling drywall and attic insulation are removed so the cavities can dry.
4. Dry. Dehumidifiers and air movers, sized to the space, with daily readings.
5. Rebuild. Framing repairs coordinated with your roofer, then drywall, paint and flooring.

Asheville's older houses, with plaster ceilings and wood floors, get a slower, closer-monitored drying plan.

When the storm also sent a creek into the house, the work changes; see flood cleanup in Asheville. For an overview of all our services, visit Asheville water damage repair.