HOUSTON – Many homeowners asset the next steps for the recovery after an explosion Friday morning at a local company damaged more than 200 homes.
A Houston-based construction company is advising residents to get their home inspected, and if possible for free.
Marcelo Parrott lives a quarter-mile from the site of the explosion in northwest Houston.
“For a moment there I thought I was dreaming; that I was in some kind of nightmare,” Parrott said.
That is because his childhood home is now a house filled with debris.
“I thought it was just roof damage. I didn’t even think about the foundation,” Parrott said.
Parrott is among the hundreds of homeowners considering if they will need repairs.
“This is a perfect example. Here we have a hairline fracture where the ceiling meets the wall,” said Jenna Laney of CornerStone Cowboys as she surveyed Parrott’s home.
Laney said regardless of how little the damage looks, she recommends that homeowners get their home inspected by a reputable construction company that can provide a report. She said this is essential for residents that live within a half-mile of the blast site.
She said many construction companies offer free inspection reports. Homeowners should also do their due diligence to be aware of the scope of the damage, she said.
She said it may appear the home is fine now, but the effects of the damage could haunt residents later.
“There are things happening on a level that are not visible to the naked eye,” Laney said. “If the house shifted off its foundation in a month or two months or a year, you could be dealing with the damage."