'Scared To Death': Storms Cause Major Damage In Western Suburbs
CHICAGO (CBS)-- Cell phone video captured the intensity of the hail during Monday's severe storms from Oswego to Bolingbrook to Naperville.
The River Run subdivision was one of the hardest hit areas in Naperville as strong winds and hail damaged several homes.
Neighbors spent most of the day cleaning up the debris, but the work is far from over.
"We were petrified, we opened the door, the streets completely flooded you couldn't pass through, the golf sized hail balls were actually bouncing off the water," resident Jennifer Scavetta said. "It was a river in front of the house."
Scavetta's home was damaged from the gutter to the windows. Her lawn was covered with hail and the outerpane of her windows were damaged.
Scavetta described the moment as scary and her neighbor from down the street feels the same way.
"I'm 78 years old and i have never been through anything like this," neighbor James Emmett Shradar said. "I was scared to death that it was going to break my windows. but it didn't luckily."
The Illinois attorney general is warning homeowners to be extra cautious of contractors, who go door to door to offer repair services.
The attorney general is reminding residents to never pay cash or make a full payment until the work is completed.
In the City of Naperville, commercial businesses must apply for a Peddler's License in order to go door to door to solicit work. The permit is good for 30 days.
Workers will also have to wear a neon vest to let homeowners know that they have already registered with the city.
Residents can always check with the Better Business Bureau or call the attorney general's Consumer Fraud Hotline to see if any complaints have been filed against a particular business. The phone number for the hotline is 1-800-386-5438.
