As a homeowner, damage to your roof is undoubtedly one of your biggest fears, especially in Florida. Here are some steps that you should take when you think the roof of your home has been damaged. Wind, severe rainstorms, hail storms, and of course hurricanes, can all cause damage to a shingled roof.
1. Find out where and how much of your roof is damaged
After you experience severe weather, it is critical to assess the damage. Approximate damage assessments can help you discuss your needs with your insurance company or roofing contractor and avoid surprise costs or discrepancies. So take a look up there in the daylight to see what is going on. A great tip when looking at your roof to identify the damaged areas, is to use a pair of binoculars. Estimate the general square foot area and specific details of the area that appears damaged and write it down. Take photographs if possible. Look carefully to see if there are areas of missing shingles, even if only a few seem to be missing.
It is important to check for signs of exposed plywood, tar paper, or the ends of missing shingles. If you know the color of the shingles or other information such as manufacturer, this will help with replacement of your roof shingles if you need to undertake the roof repair project.
2. Make a temporary fix if possible
When a storm blows through, take a look afterward to see if any shingles are in your yard (or next door). If it is just a few shingles, you might be able to repair the roof by patching new shingles. However, colors may not match due to weathering of your old roof. If the roof is severely damaged, interior property can be damaged by a leak. Remove any valuables in the inside area in order to prevent further damage…you may even need a bucket. Serious damage to your shingles may need to be waterproofed quickly using a strapped tarping method. However, depending on the roof shingle damage, the entire roof of your home may need replacing. Talk to a licensed, professional roofer like Astro Roofing and have him come out to your home to find out what is the best option.
3. Place a call to your insurance company
Is the damage is large enough to be covered through home insurance, or would it be cheaper to hire a local roofing contractor directly for your shingle roof repairs? In times of natural disaster, such as a hurricane, Florida roofing companies can get very busy so keep this in mind when making this decision. Homeowner’s insurance may be a faster way to get a roofing contractors to work on your home however, ensure the roofer is a licensed, reputable roofer, and not a fly-by-night contractor that might do poor repair work. Avoid contractors who are in the Daytona Beach and Port Orange areas ONLY because of a natural disaster. Astro Roofing is your best bet for a professional, local roofing company near you with many years of experience.
Remember, NEVER obtain your own roofing permit! This is a huge red flag. The only reason why roofing contractor would want you to obtain your own roofing permit is because they are not licensed, and therefore, not allowed to obtain a permit!
So now you know what to look for and how to handle a roofing emergency after a storm. If you have previous storm damage to your roof, give the team of roofers at Astro Roofing a call to schedule a free quote today! We specialize in metal roofing, flat roofing, shingles and commercial roofing.
Photo of lightning by Bethany Laird / Unsplash