Secure a house after storm damage

Tom Hanks, owner, 24/7 Express Handyman Service · Updated September 2026

24/7 Express Handyman Service secured a storm-hit house in Salt Lake, Park City and Heber. 100 mph is the speed straight-line thunderstorm winds can reach, with damage paths hundreds of miles long. (Severe Weather 101: Damaging Winds Basics - NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory)

What storm securing costs

Salt Lake City & Millcreek	from $205
Park City & Summit County	from $225
Heber Valley & Wasatch County	from $225

Storm securing in Salt Lake City & Millcreek starts at $205: the 2-hour minimum at $95/hour ($190) plus the $15 fuel surcharge, with no dispatch fee. Time past 2 hours is billed in 30-minute steps. Larger parts are billed at cost plus 25%.

Full price sheet and estimator

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Answered 24/7 by Tom or his dispatcher.

24/7 Express Handyman Service confirms the address, the zone rate and the dispatch fee, and takes a card, before rolling.

Quick answers

What should I secure first after a storm damages my house?

Openings come first: broken windows, doors that will not latch and holes in the roof or siding let in rain and intruders. After that, deal with loose gutters, trim and fence panels that the next gust could turn into flying debris.

How strong can thunderstorm winds get?

Straight-line thunderstorm winds can reach up to 100 mph, according to NOAA's National Severe Storms Laboratory, which classifies winds above 50 to 60 mph as damaging. Winds like that can break windows, peel siding and flatten fences without any tornado.

Should I stay in a storm-damaged house?

Only if it is structurally sound, dry enough to be safe, and free of gas odors and downed wires. If a tree is on the roof, walls have new cracks or doors suddenly jam, leave and have the house checked before anyone sleeps there.

House with a fallen tree across it after an ice storm — Photo: Liz Roll / FEMA, Public domain

What 24/7 Express Handyman Service does on site

Boarding broken windows and doors and patching holes in siding so the house is weathertight and closed to entry.
Tarping small roof openings and clearing loose debris away from doors and walkways.
Securing or removing loose gutters, trim and fence panels that the next gust could throw into windows.

How it works

Walk the outside with you to list openings, hanging pieces and trip hazards, and flag anything near wires.
Close openings first: board windows and doors and tarp roof holes.
Secure or remove loose materials, then photograph everything for your records.
Referred out: downed lines go to the power company, gas odors to the gas utility, and structural damage from fallen trees to a licensed contractor or engineer.

When to stop and call

If a line is down, you smell gas, or a tree is resting on the roof, leave the house and call the utility or 911 first. 24/7 Express Handyman Service secures openings and loose materials once the scene has been made safe.

What happens next

The written scope and price come first; temporary securing is done before permanent repairs are planned.
Photograph the damage before anything is moved and keep every receipt; 24/7 Express Handyman Service provides an itemised invoice your insurer may ask for. The dispatch fee and job cost are paid by you on the day.

Every job 24/7 Express Handyman Service takes on is under $3,000 including labor, materials and any change orders (Utah Code §58-55-305); a change that would push a job over that line is referred to a licensed contractor, not written up as a second job. plumbing, electrical, HVAC, gas appliance / combustion system work is referred to a licensed trade.

Sources

Severe Weather 101: Damaging Winds Basics - NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory — retrieved 2026-09-23

All sources