After a hurricane in Charleston, rent a roll-off dumpster for the driveway and load storm debris straight into it as you clear the house and yard. Downed limbs, ruined fencing, soaked drywall and wet carpet pile up quickly after a hurricane, and weekly curb pickup is set up for household trash. With a roll-off on the driveway, you have one place to put the storm debris while you work.
We're a family business on James Island offering dumpster rentals around Charleston, and Tony does every delivery and pickup himself. Text or call (843) 800-0689, describe the debris you need to clear, and Tony will tell you when he can be out.
What should you do before you start clearing storm debris?
Make the property safe first, then photograph the damage, then start loading. Stay clear of downed power lines and anything touching them, and report them to your power company. Before you work under a tree, look up for leaning trunks and broken limbs hung in the branches. If water came inside, shut off power to the flooded rooms at the panel only if you can reach it from a dry spot.
Then take pictures. Photograph each room, the water line on the walls, the damaged furniture and every broken fence section before anything moves. If you plan to file an insurance claim, ask your insurer what they need to see, and keep the photos until the claim is settled. Once the damage is on record, start clearing.
Which dumpster size fits storm debris?
Pick the size from the scale of the damage. A big trim after a storm, with limbs down and a few fence sections broken, fits the 13-yard dumpster, which includes 1 ton and 5 days. Storm-scale debris, such as several downed trees, a flooded floor of the house or a long run of fence, calls for the 17-yard dumpster with 1.5 tons or the 22-yard dumpster with 2 tons and 7 days.
As a rough guide, a pickup bed holds about 2 to 3 cubic yards. By that measure the 13 equals about 4 to 6 pickup beds of storm debris, the 17 about 6 to 8, and the 22 about 7 to 11. If you can't judge the pile, describe it when you call and Tony will match a size to it.
How do you sort storm debris as you clear?
Sort the hurricane debris into three piles as you work. Vegetation goes in the first: limbs, brush, leaves and root balls. House debris goes in the second: drywall, insulation, carpet, pad, cabinets and furniture from flooded rooms. Heavy clean material, such as broken concrete, brick and dirt washed onto the driveway, goes in the third.
The vegetation and the house debris can share one roll-off. The heavy clean pile belongs in the 7-yard dumpster, the size for heavy clean loads. Storm concrete and dirt that stay clean go to a recycle plant, so that load has no overweight charge and you can fill it to the rim. If storm lumber or trash gets mixed into that load, it goes to the landfill and is charged by weight. Tony explains this at drop-off, so you can keep the concrete pile clean from the start.
Why does wet storm debris weigh more?
Water adds weight. Soaked drywall, waterlogged carpet and pad, wet insulation and rain-soaked brush weigh far more than the same material dry. A roll-off loaded with flooded flooring can reach its included tons while it still looks half full.
If the weather allows, lay wet carpet and pad out on the driveway for a day to drain before you load them. Cut soaked drywall into pieces small enough to carry before it breaks apart in your hands. When you book, say how much of the flood debris is wet. Your booking terms cover weight over the included tons. On a badly flooded house, a swap-out partway through the cleanup can work better than packing one dumpster with wet material.
How do you load limbs and fencing after a storm?
Cut limbs into lengths that lie flat on the floor of the dumpster, and lay them all in the same direction. Trim the side branches off big limbs so they stack instead of tangling. Stand broken fence panels flat against the walls of the roll-off. Put the heavy house debris low and spread it out, and pile the bulky brush on top of it.
Use a chainsaw only if you know how. A limb pinned under a fallen tree can be under tension and spring when you cut it, so plan where it will move before you start the cut. Wear gloves, boots and eye protection for every part of a storm cleanup, since storm debris is full of nails, broken glass and splintered wood.
What about shingles from storm damage?
Shingles go in the 13, 17 or 22. A small patch of roofing torn loose in high winds fits in the 13 along with the yard debris. If a roofer is stripping a larger roof after the hurricane, plan for the 17 or the 22, and our roofing dumpster page covers that job in more detail. Shingles are heavy, so give us a rough count of the squares coming off.
Where else can hurricane debris go?
Check official updates before you load yard debris. Charleston County posts storm debris information on its hurricane information page. The City of Charleston's recovering from a hurricane page has a guide to hurricane debris that sorts it into "six categories." If a separate debris pickup is running on your street, you can set the vegetation out for it and use the dumpster for the house debris.
A flooded garage or shed can turn up containers of chemicals and fuel. Tell us what's going in when you book, and we'll talk it through. Charleston County also runs a household hazardous waste program for specialty items.
Where should the dumpster go after a storm?
A driveway is still the easiest spot after a hurricane. Walk the drop spot before you call and check for downed lines, standing water, soft ground and limbs hanging overhead. Describe what you see, and we'll work out placement with you.
A dumpster on your own driveway needs no permit. If the only open spot after the storm is a City of Charleston street, the city requires a permit for it, and you pull that permit. The city's Traffic Operations Division monitors "the placement of storage devices and dumpsters in the public right-of-way."
You don't need to be home for the drop or the pickup, which helps while you're meeting adjusters and contractors.
How long can a storm cleanup rental run?
A storm rental includes 5 days on the 13 or 17 and 7 days on the 22. A hurricane cleanup can stretch while you wait on adjusters and contractors, so you can keep the roll-off up to 30 days, and longer if you call. If you fill the dumpster before the storm cleanup is done, call for a swap-out and Tony brings an empty one.
How do you book a dumpster after a storm?
Book online in about two minutes, or text or call (843) 800-0689. Toni and Tracy answer the phone, and Tony calls every online order to confirm the address and the drop spot. We're open seven days, and Tony answers after hours too.
Common questions about hurricane debris
Should I take photos before or after I pull up wet carpet?
Before. Photograph the carpet in place with the water line showing, then photograph it again once it's pulled up and piled for the dumpster.
Can limbs and house debris go in the same dumpster?
Yes. Branches, fencing, drywall and furniture can share one dumpster. Keep broken concrete and dirt in a separate pile for the 7-yard.
What do I do with a fridge or freezer the storm ruined?
Ask about it when you book. Tony will go over the fridge or freezer with you before delivery.
Can I book a dumpster before the storm arrives?
Yes. Book it and give us the date you want it dropped. Tony will tell you when he can be out.
Cleaning up after a storm? Text or call Tony at (843) 800-0689, or book online once you know the size.
Need a dumpster in Charleston? Call or text Tony at (843) 800-0689, or order online.
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