‘WeatherCheck’ checks out Erie ID

Erin Almeter, Staff writer

Erie weather is known for being one of the most intense in the United States.

This reputation makes it fitting for the weather data analysts at WeatherCheck to become a part of the Erie Innovation District along with eight other companies in July 2018.
WeatherCheck was welcomed to become part of Erie as part of a 10-week Secure Erie Accelerator program.

Originally based in Louisville, Kentucky, WeatherCheck is a small but rapidly growing company. The CEO and co-founder of this business is Demetrius Gray. The CTO and co-founder is Jermaine Watkins.

The hope behind WeatherCheck is to help homeowners recognize weather damage, prepare for it and recognize when to call for help from an insurance company after severe weather.

The Erie Innovation District prides itself on welcoming new technology companies to Erie as part of its commitment to promoting economic growth and job opportunities to the community. The Erie Innovation District’s website states that it seeks to help replace low-wage jobs with family sustaining jobs, and revitalize downtown Erie.

Mercyhurst University was asked to help lead this initiative in September 2016 when the university received a $4 million grant to work in collaboration with corporate partners.

WeatherCheck will partake in intensive training in and funding from the district. It hopes to become an established presence in Erie over the new few years.

An update given in September 2018 explained that they will be taking big data from forecasts and adding the Realtor spin to it so that every property in the nation can see how their homes have been affected. This helps owners act immediately when damage has been done.

WeatherCheck is focused on sharing data about potentially dangerous and damaging weather address by address, before the weather even hits the area.

The most recent update on Jan. 8, 2019, shows that WeatherCheck has earned national recognition. Forbes has named WeatherCheck as one of 22 startups to watch in 2019.

Perks of WeatherCheck include seeing data for specific properties that could not be seen before, safety when preparing for bad weather, and saving thousands on repairs.

To see the previous year of potential damage and another year of monitoring, costs $120 per structure.

WeatherCheck automatically lets homeowners know about the damage, but one still has to file a claim with their insurance company. It also assists in providing documentation to support insurance claims.

For more information on WeatherCheck and how to find how your property may have been affected, go to https://weathercheck.co.