Insurance companies and roofing contractors like Reroof America know the drill... but are you ready? The annual storm season in the western part of the country often arrives in conjunction with a “second” storm season hitting the Midwest and Southeast and can cause major headaches for property owners. Many people across the country find that March through May are some of the most dangerous months of the year, as evidenced by total number of major storms and outbreak of tornados. However, aside from the hurricane danger in September; October and early November can be quite harrowing months for property owners, especially because the window to complete repairs before winter comes is much shorter.
These late year storms can cause more damage than you think to your roof and siding. When October storms hit, people tend to think less about them as there is not the national awareness as there is in the spring months. Typically the hail is a little softer in the fall, however, the hail and wind can be equally as damaging to the integrity of a roof or siding.
So far in 2011, there have been major wind and hail events in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. These recent fall storms are coming on the heals of major East coast damage from Hurricane Irene and a very active spring storm season earlier this year. As a result of these storms, there has been an increase in demand for building products and as such increased construction material costs on items such as asphalt roofing shingles.
In addition to construction material problems, property owners may have other difficulties in dealing with their insurance replacement work. Reroof America offers some tips for homeowners who experienced some of these late season storms:
1. Call your agent or insurance claim “hotline”… if you look on your insurance paperwork, there is usually a claim number.
-OR- If you are not sure if you have hail damage or not, you should call a reputable roofing contractor (your insurance may recommend on like Reroof America) to come out and do an initial damage assessment. This is important as some insurance premiums can be negatively affected by filing claims even if there was no damage.
2. If you have an approved claim, need an emergency repair or are certain that you have damage… contact a recommended and certified contractor. Make sure that they are registered and certified by the local and state agencies and carry plenty of general liability insurance.
3. Schedule the repairs… being this late in the year, most severe hail damage should be addressed before the heart of the winter arrives. This is especially important in areas where snow is on your roof for extended periods of time.
4. Do not pay up front… one of the most common scams by storm chasing contractors is taking payment up front and not completing the work.
5. Demand a complete system… when having your roof work completed after a storm, you will want to make sure that you have a complete protective roofing system installed. This will ensure that you have the most waterproof roof. We feature the GAF System Plus and GAF Golden Pledge Limited warranties.
So if you were one of the many unfortunate homeowners who experienced some hail, wind or other storm related damage to your home, you will probably want to have it checked out before the winter hits. Remember, a roof that is damaged may become worse and cause some major headaches over the winter if you don’t address the problems quickly. (but do take precautions in selecting your roofer and roof system)
