Storm Damage: Do's and Don'ts

It's a natural instinct for many homeowners to inspect their homes for any serious damage after a storm hits their area. Sometimes, they can't help but try and go up their roof to see if their roofing system has sustained any significant damage. While it's great to be proactive and spot any issues in your home, you should prioritize your own safety over anything else. Read on as the leading roofing company, Colorado Roof Toppers, shares the do's and don'ts after a storm hits your area.

Don't Climb Up Your Roof

We understand how anxious a homeowner can feel after a storm hits their area. One could go up their roof the first chance they get just to inspect and see its condition. However, it isn't a great idea as you aren't certain of the roof's condition. Granted, you can be extra careful when doing so, but you'll never know how stable your roof is until you walk over it. It's better to avoid going up your roof as it may have sustained significant damage which could lead to a roof collapse that can endanger the rest of your family. Leave the roofing inspection to the professionals in your area.

Do Have Your Roof Inspected and Repaired Promptly

Continuing from the previous point, you should leave all the inspections and repairs to a LOCAL roofing contractor who understands the local climate and how roofing systems react to the weather. Be sure that you are working with a local contractor.  When a storm hits, the storm chasers will descend on your neighborhood.  They often set up temporary offices when large storms hit an area so they look like they are local.  You want to work with a roofing contractor that will be there for you for the long haul.  You don't want to wait too long to have the roof looked at and fixed.  Most insurance companies allow you a certain time frame after a storm hits to have any work needed done.

Contact Your Insurance Company

Once a professional roofing contractor has determined that you do have enough damage to warrant filing a claim, you should contact your insurance company right away. Your insurance company will send out an adjustor to assess the damage and create a document called an adjustment.  You will need to give your roofing contractor a copy of that document so that your roofing contractor can make sure that the adjustor included all the items needed for the restoration of your roof to meet local codes.  Then your contractor should provide you with an estimate based on the insurance company adjustment and you can move forward with having the necessary repairs completed.

by Denise Bart August 04, 2020
Roofing