By Dave Murnen and Pat Beaty

If your house or business, barn, garage or outbuilding is ever severely damaged by wind, water, fire or other means, make sure you let the Assessor’s Office know so your tax bill can be appropriately lowered.

In light of the hassle and even tragedy such a disaster brings, it’s almost awkward to bring up this small silver lining in the gray stormcloud. But, at the same time, it would certainly be a shame for anyone who has just lost their home to fire not to save every penny they can.

So, remember yourself and remind those you care for that if tragedy strikes your home, you should call the Grays Harbor County Assessor’s Office as soon as possible.

Because of something called the “Destroyed Property Exemption,” you don’t have to pay full taxes on something that has been reduced in value by more than 20 percent because of severe weather conditions or fire damage.

So, if you ever find yourself with a tree through your roof, a house full of water, or a damaged barn or garage, make sure to call the Assessor’s Office at 360-249-4121 between 9 a.m. and noon or 1 and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, or visit the office on the second floor of the County Administration Building in Montesano.

There’s a one-page form to fill out to begin the process. Once the form is filled out, an appraiser will come to your property to assess the damage. If there’s inside damage to your house or other buildings that you’d like to point out, you’ll need to be there.

Once it’s determined that your house or other buildings have sustained structural damage, the value of your parcel will be adjusted based on the amount of damage sustained — reducing what you will have to pay in taxes.

When you or your contractor files a building permit to fix up your house, the folks at the Assessor’s Office will check on the progress sometime between May and August — their typical time for checking new construction. Again, if the house isn’t back to 100 percent, it will be assessed at its current worth and reinspected at a later date.

It might sound a little complicated, but your part is simple: Call or visit the Assessor’s Office and report the damage. They’re the ones who’ll figure out how much money you can save on your taxes because of your loss.

There must be actual structural damage, and the value must be reduced by more than 20 percent to meet the legal requirements.

Broken fences, downed trees on the property that didn’t harm structures, topsy-turvy landscaping and muddy patios don’t count. Nor usually do a few shingles off a roof, a little siding off or even a broken window or two. However, if water got into your home as a result and caused damage, or if your roof was compromised, it could count as damaged property.

While typically people whose homes are damaged are quick to get them fixed, it’s key for the Assessor’s Office to inspect the damage first because of the way the state law is written. You may want to take pictures or videos of the damage for your records, too.

Dave Murnen and Pat Beaty are construction specialists at NeighborWorks of Grays Harbor County, where Murnen is executive director. This is a nonprofit organization committed to creating safe and affordable housing for all residents of Grays Harbor County. They can be reached at 360-533-7828.