Storms can cause severe damage to roofs, which raises the risk of your home having leaks and other problems. It’s important to know what to do after storm damage to ensure your roof is able to protect your home from wind, rain, and other elements. What should you do first, and when does insurance cover a roofing replacement if needed?
Knowing the answers to these questions can help you better understand what to expect when you have storm damage. Keep the following in mind when severe weather passes through the Akron, Canton and Cleveland areas.
Call Your Insurance Company
The first thing you should do when you have storm damage is call your insurance company to get the claim process started. When talking to your insurance company, go over what your policy does and doesn’t cover. You should also find out what your deductible is if you’re unsure. This information can help you know more about what to expect as far as whether or not your insurance company will cover a roof replacement or repairs.
Call a Local Roofer
After talking to your insurance company, you should call a local roofer to check your roof. While you might notice missing shingles just by looking up at your roof, a roofer can get up there to do a more thorough inspection and assess the damage. Your offer can then give you an estimate on the cost of a roof replacement.
You should have a roofer come to your home as soon as possible, especially if you have extensive storm damage. This helps ensure you get prompt repairs or a replacement, which helps lower the risk of additional damage.
Consider Safety Issues
Storms can cause roof damage which could make your home unsafe. For example, you might have a large hole in your roof, which allows rain and pests to get in. Part of the roof could also be in danger of collapsing if there is extensive damage. Having a roofing replacement or repairs done promptly helps lower these risks.
Prevent Additional Damage
If you only have minor damage, you might be tempted to put off repairs due to costs or other factors. However, waiting longer to have repairs done means your roof could develop more widespread or additional damage. Instead of needing minor repairs, you might need your entire roof replaced if you wait. Waiting longer also puts the interior of your home at risk.
Avoid Delays
Calling right away for repairs helps ensure you’re able to have your roof fixed promptly. When you wait to call, you might not be able to have emergency patching or repairs done as soon as possible. This puts your roof and home interior at greater risk of developing additional damage.
Check Your Warranties
Will the warranties on your roof cover the cost of repairing storm damage or replacing your roof? Manufacturer warranties usually don’t cover damage caused by storms, but you should be able to have your insurance claim cover this instead. Knowing what your warranties include can help you understand what to expect in terms of what you might pay.
Wait for Insurance Claim Approval
When your insurance company approves your claim, your roofer can get started on repairing or replacing your roof. Since you have to wait for claim approval, it’s important to begin this process immediately by contacting your insurance company.
What to Expect from Your Insurance Claim
When it comes to your insurance claim, be prepared to provide your insurance company with detailed information about the damage. You’ll need to know how the damage happened, such as from high winds or heavy rain. If you have roof damage due to poor installation, this becomes a warranty issue rather than an insurance issue.
Your insurance company will also want to know about the extent of your roof damage. You’ll need to know if only one part of your roof was affected or if the damage is widespread enough for a roofing replacement. If your roof only has minor storm damage, you should compare the cost for repairs with your insurance deductible.
When choosing a roofer to handle roof repairs or replacement, make sure you find a reliable local contractor. This can help ease some of the stress you might be feeling over needing roofing work done. Dependable roofers should be willing to work with your insurance, which should help the process go smoothly.
Keep in mind roofers should not require full payment upfront. Paying in full upfront means you’re taking a risk of paying for roofing work which might not be done right. You could end up having to pay even more to correct poor workmanship.
If your roof has storm damage, contact Exteriors Plus right away! We provide roofing services in the Akron, Canton and Cleveland areas.
