Types of Potential Roof Storm Damage
The state of Florida is a great place to live, but one of the things we often contend with is damage caused by storms and, depending on where you live, hurricanes. Although interior damage definitely happens, it’s often the exterior of our homes that takes the brunt of the abuse.
Every often, this damage is focused on our home’s roof, which can be subjected to a variety of damage. Today, we’re going to discuss the different types of roof storm damage your home might experience and what you should do if you need to make an insurance claim.
Roof storm damage can be very costly and may take a while to repair depending on the severity. There are basically four different types of damage that you might occur:
Wind Damage
Hurricane-force winds (74+ mph) and gale-force winds (39-54 mph) can cause considerable damage to your roof. These high winds may tear some of the shingles or could even rip them right off the roof and send them flying. In lighter storms, sudden gusts of wind can either lift or curl the shingles. When this happens, it can break the watertight seal, leaving the roof prone to even more damage.
Hail Damage
Thankfully, hailstorms usually don’t last any longer than 15 minutes. The bad part is that in this short amount of time, the small stones can do a lot of damage by denting the shingles, making your roof look unsightly. An even bigger problem is that hail can knock loose shingle granules that help protect the roof itself from damage, making the roof more vulnerable to rain and the sun.
Standing Water
At some point, basically every homeowner is probably going to have to deal with a leaky roof and water damage. This is especially common in areas with heavy rains like our great state. In severe cases, you may even notice the roof is beginning to sag. Standing water can cause considerable damage to not just the roof but also the interior of the home, so be sure that your roof has proper drainage.
Debris Damage
Roof storm damage related to debris is connected to wind damage. Even in winds that aren’t too severe, you can have small branches hit your roof and cause damage to the shingles. In hurricanes and during other times of high winds, anything from large tree limbs to backyard objects that haven’t been weighted down can cause damage, too.
What to Do If You Experience Roof Damage
If you experience roof storm damage, then you’ll have no choice but to make an insurance claim so that the roof can be either repaired or replaced.
Here are the four basic steps that are involved:
Assess the Damage
The first thing you’ll need to do if you experience roof storm damage is to assess the severity and which areas will need repairs. Instead of climbing up on the roof, try to do as much as you can by looking through binoculars. Document any missing shingles and other signs of damage such as exposed plywood or tarpaper. This will be important when starting a claim and contacting a roofing company.
Make Temporary Fixes
When you have heavy damage to your roof, there’s the possibility that water may leak through into the interior of the home. If this has happened, you’ll want to find some temporary relief such as placing a bucket under the spot and removing any valuable items. If you’ve experienced serious damage, you may need use a tarp until a professional can come in to repair the roof.
Contact Insurance Company
Whenever you have damage to your roof, always be sure to contact your insurance company right away. You’ll want to find out how much your homeowners’ insurance covers and start the claim immediately since others in your area are probably doing the same thing.
Contact a Public Adjuster
You should get in contact with a public adjuster to help make the process go more smoothly and maximize your claim amount. Often, insurance companies will try to lowball or underpay a claim. A public adjuster will come to your property and make their own, independent analysis of the damage to your roof.
They will determine a fair amount to cover the cost of repairs and submit their findings and analysis to your insurance company. This will be a major benefit to you, as the public adjuster works for you, not your insurance company.
Contact a Roofing Company
After you’ve filed a claim with the insurance company and spoken to a public adjuster, it’s time to call a local roofing contractor. They’ll send out an expert to assess the damage to see if the damaged shingles can be repaired or may require roof replacement.
Contact Property Protectors for Help with Roof Storm Damage
Property Protectors is a highly respected public adjuster in Florida and can assist you with roof storm damage and other insurance needs. If you have any questions about our services or the steps we’ll take when handling your claim, call our office at (800) 658-1943 today to schedule a free consultation.