In the nutshell of this article, something hit the roof of your home. Perhaps you have no idea what could have fallen from the sky and caused damage to your roof. The following article will hopefully save your time, energy, and frustration as you deal with the roof of your home in the aftermath of high winds. Sarah, a homeowner in one of the many communities hit by the storms recently, did have a problem with her roof. But how serious was the problem? And how much time, money and hassle would it require to fix it? It turned out that it was not immediately apparent. It was not until 3 hours after the initial impact of whatever it was that fell on the roof of her home and caused the damage, that Sarah was woken up in the middle of the night by loud creaking and groaning sounds coming from the area of the roof where the damage had occurred.
After the initial discovery of the damage to the roof of her home, what Sarah does next will determine the extent of repairs to her damaged roof and whether she will have to fight with her insurance company to pay for them.
The first 48 hours decide everything
Assessing roof damage to homes after a storm can begin before you even step outside to inspect the damage to your home. Before proceeding to climb up onto your wet and potentially weakened roof, you could potentially cause serious injury to yourself or others. There are many instances in which well-meaning homeowners have turned what could have been a minor repair into a serious and costly injury by attempting an assessment of roof damage while the roof is still saturated from the storm.
First, do a walk around the exterior of your house to look for damage such as missing shingles, dented gutters, debris impacts into the home, and standing water. Take lots of pictures. Insurance companies use documentation to process claims so be sure to take lots of pictures of all of the damage, no matter how small it appears to be.
Check for any signs of water intrusion in your home. This can be determined by looking for any water stains on ceilings and walls. Keep in mind that water can enter your home through the roof and travel down walls in long runs. Therefore, even if there is a leak in the roof on the opposite side of the home, there could be water stains in areas far from the damage. Check the walls containing windows and doors by running your hand over them to detect any moisture. Make note of where any water stains are located.
Just because you can’t see something from the inside of your home does not mean that it does not exist and can cause no harm. There are many instances where hail can penetrate through the shingles of a roof and cause significant damage to the underlying layers. Also, strong winds can dislodge or pull loose flashing that is used to surround items such as chimneys, vents, skylights, etc. If the flashing is not repaired in a timely manner, water can leak into walls causing significant interior damage before it can be repaired. In many cases, the damage that occurs before the flashing is repaired can end up being costlier than the repair of the flashing.
Why you need professional eyes
Most insurance companies will have an adjuster come to your home to assess the damage to your home. Their goal will be to determine the extent of the damage and pay as little as possible to fix the problems found in the assessment. The adjuster is working for the insurance company so make sure that you are protected.
There are many hidden problems that can develop in your roof after a severe storm. A professional roofer will be able to identify these problems and document them for your insurance company. Many homeowners are unaware that roofers are also experts on storm damage. As specialists in Virginia Beach storm damage roofing, our team has the knowledge and experience to assess your roof after a severe storm and provide you with the best possible repair.
It’s important to remember that there are many professional contractors throughout the country that specialize in roofing repair in Virginia Beach storm damage. These types of roofing repair contractors in Virginia Beach specialize in assessing and repairing any damage to your roof caused by recent storms. Roofing in Virginia Beach can often be damaged by wind and rain, and also by the effects of salt air on buildings in coastal locations. When searching for roof repair in Virginia Beach, make sure to choose a contractor that specializes in the type of roofing repair you need. Choose a contractor that has the experience and knowledge to properly repair your roof so that it won’t need to be repaired again for a long time.
Navigate the insurance process like a pro
Many roofing companies are familiar with the process for filing an insurance claim for roof damage. Many insurance companies will not begin to process roof damage claims until after a storm has passed through an area. However, you should file your claim as quickly as possible after the damage has occurred. In many cases the first assessor sent by the insurance company will write up a report stating that there is no damage. Often these adjusters only inspect the home briefly and are under a lot of pressure to process as many claims as quickly as possible after a storm.
Before the insurance adjuster comes to inspect the property for damage, the contractor should supply you with a written estimate to repair your home. It is recommended that the contractor is at the property when the insurance adjuster inspects for damage. Sometimes the adjuster will try and down play the amount of damage to save the insurance company money. After speaking with a contractor, some policy holders have found out that they are entitled to more coverage than they were initially told.
Many homeowners are unaware that they can have a claim re-inspected by an insurance adjuster. A large percentage of insurance companies are attempting to pay out the least amount of money for a claim as possible in order to make a profit. By closing the claim as quickly as possible, they can pay as little as possible for repairs. A homeowner can show an insurance company documentation from a reputable contractor of damaged areas that were not discovered during the initial inspection of the property. The insurance company will often agree to pay for additional coverage for the newly discovered damage.
In order to receive reimbursement for any temporary repairs that you make, you will want to make sure to keep all of the receipts. Items that are often covered include: tarps used to cover damaged sections of roof, emergency board-up services for doors or windows, temporary roofing to allow for repair of damaged roof. It is surprising how many homeowners forget to include these items in their claim.
Emergency protection that won’t backfire
While waiting to have your home repaired by a contractor, or waiting for an insurance company to approve a claim for repairs to a home, the first priority is to try to protect the home from further damage.
For temporary protection over small damaged areas it is recommended to cover with a tarp. Note: Tarps are temporary covers and can in many cases cause more damage than the original issue if installed incorrectly. When securing the tarp with nails, be sure to drive the nail into the boards covering the damaged area, and not into the actual damaged roofing material.
Cleaning gutters and downspouts after a storm is another critical task to ensure that debris does not clog up your gutter system and create more damage by allowing water to leak out. Be sure to avoid splashing gutter debris as it can create unsanitary conditions and spread disease.
Think beyond the immediate fix
When you discover that you have problems with your roof after a storm, it’s often because the roof was damaged by previous weather events, and the current problems are just a symptom of deeper problems that need to be repaired. When you go to hire someone to make repairs, you want to make sure that the roofer you hire understands the underlying problems that led to the current symptoms. That roofer will provide you with a superior repair work that will ensure that your roof will make it through future weather events, and will provide you with long lasting results and a peace of mind for years to come.
While it’s true that you can find cheaper materials for your roof, using them to repair damage to your home after a storm could end up costing you more in the long run. That’s because you’ll be repairing your roof with materials that will likely fail in future storms, leading to further damage and higher repair bills. This is especially true for flashing, underlayment, and fasteners. Although you can’t see these parts of your roof, they are critical to ensuring that your roof is able to withstand the forces of wind and weather, and should be replaced with durable materials to help your home weather future storms.
The repairs to your home’s roof should provide better protection than your old roof provided. A great place to start is to understand the new products available in the market and how they can provide better solutions to your home’s roofing needs. Whether you need a new roof or just a roof repair, quality materials will provide better protection for your home. Most homeowners get one chance to do this right. Make it count.
Remember that most homeowners only get one shot to fix their roof after a storm and you want to make sure that it is done right the first time More Read