TYLER, Texas — It's been two days since the storm swept through Tyler, leaving many homes damaged beyond repair. Now, one local business is working day-in and day-out to assist its fellow East Texans.
Before the storm many people drove through the Azalea District for it's historic touch. Now, Jacob Law, Stonewater Roofing Chief Management Officer and co-owner says it looks "almost like a war zone" with streets taped off and power lines down.
While the storm has passed, the damage remains throughout the area. Nicholas Wavrusa, project manager, says the worst damage he's seen so far are trees that have fallen into houses "in your living room basically."
While Stonewater Roofing considers other home owners "lucky", Law says one home is "most fortunate" because they had a Magnolia tree that caught the tree that was falling. This Magnolia tree kept them from having a "potentially total loss."
Bringing a historic home back to life after a storm like the one East Texas experienced won't be quick, simple, or cheap. Law says the total cost is more than just roof repairs, it can often include tearing off the roof completely to repair the bricks of a home; window repairs; and landscaping. The added pressure of inflation is also causing materials to be more expensive.
Wavrusa says he understands the hardships of the storm firsthand.
"I was just like everyone else in the storm, in the hall way with my wife and kids," explained Wavrusa.
During this time, Law wants to remind residents of the difference between alive and dead trees falling onto your property.
"No matter where the tree started from, if it's a live tree and it damages someone else's property, it's on that owner's insurance company," said Law.
According to Law, the estimated time for complete repairs can take between weeks and months due to supply chain shortages.