Storm Damage

The most common causes of roof damage are storm damage, mechanical damage, manufacturer defect, or normal wear and tear. Storm damage typically results from hail, wind or failing debris. Mechanical damage is any unintentional cracking or penetration of the roofing material likely caused by human error. Damaged shingles from foot traffic, dropped tools or blistering shingles are examples of mechanical damage. Manufacturer’s defect is when a roofing system fails due to an obvious defect or recall of a specific roofing material product. Normal wear and tear is when a roofing system has reached the end of its projected useful life and begins to degrade and eventually fail.

Most likely yes. If a tree falls and damages your property (home, fence, deck, shed, etc.) that is usually covered in a homeowner’s policy. Where things may get a bit more complicated is if the tree belongs to a neighbor or is part of an easement owned by a utility company or city. Either way, if your property sustains damage from a downed tree or limb, contact a qualified contractor and your insurance company to thoroughly inspect the property and determine whether the home requires emergency repairs.

The tell-tale signs of storm damage to a home are missing or cracked roofing material, siding, or gutters. The intensity of the storm combined with the types of building material used can make it difficult to identify storm damage to your home. Catastrophic events like tornados, hurricanes, or 2-inch or greater hailstorms present obvious damage. However, smaller hailstorms or other severe thunderstorms with high winds can cause more subtle damage to your home that may not be visible to the untrained eye. Signs of this type of storm damage may not present itself for weeks or months until there are interior leaks or building materials fall off the home.

Most legitimate roofing contractors will offer a free roof inspection to check for storm damage. While there is a cost to the contractor to perform this service, their hope is that if the roof needs to be repaired or replaced that you (the homeowner) will choose them to do the work.

A roof inspection takes anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 hours depending on the size of the roof and whether the contractor finds damage. While it is not required that the homeowner is present at the time of the inspection, it is preferred so that the contractor can present his/her findings and review options for the homeowner to move forward.

It is recommended that homeowners inspect their roof system at least once a year and or after severe thunderstorms with known hail and high winds. If you notice interior ceiling leaks or other cosmetic damage to the exterior of your home, you should contact a qualified roofing contractor immediately. Leaks do not fix themselves and can cause more damage the longer they remain unfixed.

The best way to get your insurance company to pay for a new roof is to have a qualified roofing contractor inspect your roof for damage following a known storm in your area. If you know of a severe storm with high winds and or hail, you should contact a reputable contractor as soon as possible, ideally within 30 days of the storm. However, it could be the case that you were unaware of the severity of a storm when it occurred. If this is the case, you may notice that several of your neighbors are getting their roofs replaced. This means that your home was likely in the path of a severe storm and there is a good chance that your home has damage as well.

Insurance companies will pay for a roof replacement if there is a known storm date at your address and verifiable damage to your roof from the storm. Whenever there is a severe storm, it is a good idea to have a qualified, honest contractor inspect the roof, siding, and gutters for damage from high winds, hail and falling debris. If the contractor finds damage, they will recommend that you file a claim with your insurance carrier. The insurance company will then schedule a time for an adjuster to come inspect the property. If storm damage exists, the adjuster will approve either repairs or a full roof replacement. Insurance companies usually do not approve roofing claims for mechanical damage or normal wear and tear.

While it is best to file a roofing insurance claim within 30 days of a known storm, most policies allow for homeowners to file up to 1 year after a storm date. In cases where you know a storm occurred and caused damage, get it fixed right away to prevent further damage to your home. Sometimes you may not know that your roof was damaged in a storm until weeks or months after. If you are approaching the 1-year cutoff on a storm and are actively working with a contractor, you can always request an extension from the insurance company and in most cases, they will grant an extension.