Rains, snowstorms, winds, and other heavy weather conditions can damage your roof – sometimes very little, sometimes to a great extent. If you live in areas where storms are very common, then you are familiar with all the risks that they bring, including very serious roof damages. Roofs are not doorknobs that you can fix whenever you have time. The roof is the biggest form of protection on your house, so any problem big or small requires immediate attention.
How to properly assess your roof after a storm
First and foremost, don’t attempt any assessments until you are 100% sure that the storm is gone. The last you want to do is to risk your safety by being on the roof when it’s still windy outside especially when you are not trained or equipped properly. A roof that is damaged by storms is unpredictable and no one can tell you what might happen if you step on it. Therefore, conduct all the assessments from the ground since basic inspection doesn’t require you to be on the roof.
While you are waiting for the storm to stop, you can spot damage signs inside your house – leaks and water stains on your walls and ceiling indicate that something is wrong up there and needs attention. If the leaks and stains are big then move the furniture that is directly under them and try to avoid those spots in your house for your safety and place a bucket where it leaks to save your floor.
Take a look outside around your house if you find roofing materials then it’s safe to say that your roof is missing some parts. Shingles, for example can be easily dislocated because of strong storms.
Without going up to your roof, you can assess the condition of exhaust pipes, valleys, and also outer edges or angles that connect the roof and the wall.
Needless to say, you will notice bigger damages like cracks or tree that has fallen on your roof.
Get in touch with your insurance company if you have one
Roof replacement or repairs can be very expensive, so if the damage is big and your insurance covers roof, then call the company right away and let them know what you have observed during your assessment.
On the other hand, if the problems you have noticed are small and don’t take much time to be fixed, you can directly contact a roof contractor. Don’t try to make permanent fixes on your own because:
A. You can never be sure what the actual problem was;
B. That might make the situation worse and during the next storm, replacement will be inevitable.
The bottom line is you don’t have to be a roof pro to assess the damage but you do need to be a pro to make any conclusions and repairs. To hire a professional roofing company, call Roof Repair Specialist today!
