Minnesota storm damage can be devastating to your home and cause expensive repairs, but storms aren’t always a prolonged event. Once a storm passes and you get some good weather, you’ll want to inspect your house for signs of damage that could be hiding in plain sight.
The next time you’re bracing for a storm, think about looking at your home from the outside after the storm has passed. Doing so will help you quickly spot signs of storm damage and schedule the appropriate repairs, including roof repair, siding repair, attic insulation, and gutter and downspout repair.
Here are a few common signs of storm damage:
7 Common Types of Storm Damage to Your Home’s Exterior
Roof Damage
Your roof is your home’s ultimate protection. When a storm damages it, the consequences can be devastating.
The effects of Mother Nature can cause surprisingly extensive damage to your home. After a storm has passed, you should visually inspect your roof to ensure it is still intact.
This can help prevent severe damage, e.g., gutter and downspout repair, which could turn into a more expensive repair bill.
Check your roof for the following common signs of damage:
- Missing shingles
- Roof penetrations (from falling trees and tree limbs)
- Shedding or loosening shingles
- The slope of the roof is not uniform across the entire surface
- Water seeping into the attic or interior walls
Damaged Siding
It is essential to spot signs of damage on your siding after a storm. Your siding helps protect your home, and therefore, it is vital to ensure it is in good condition after a storm.
Here are some signs of storm damage on siding:
- Cracks in the vinyl or wood
- Holes in the vinyl
- Dents in the aluminum or Steel siding
- Paint peeling off the siding if it is wood or metal
- The siding could have been blown off by the wind
While walking around your house, make sure that you can look through every room from the outside; every room should be intact.
Damage to Outdoor Buildings
Did you know that if your outdoor structures sustain damage in a storm, it could cause thousands of dollars in damage?
If you’re storing tools, equipment, food, valuables, or other belongings in outdoor buildings, such as garages and sheds, even a small hole or leak can cause immense damage.
Cover these structures with a tarp before the storm hits, if possible, to prevent this damage from happening, or move your belongings from these structures altogether.
Fallen Trees and Limbs
If you have a big tree on your property, there’s a good chance it could fall during an extreme weather event.
If this happens, you should check that you have coverage for the tree fall, debris removal, or coverage for your neighbor’s fallen tree on your property (or vice versa). In addition to checking for damage on your own property, ensure that you are not liable for any damage on your neighbor’s property.
Dents on Gutters, Flashing, and Vents
If you live in an area vulnerable to hailstorms, prepare for the potential damage they can cause. However, it’s often difficult to pinpoint the specific damages, especially if rainstorms or a particularly destructive hailstorm hit your home in the early spring.
Here are a few signs that indicate a storm has caused damage to your gutters, vents, and flashing:
- Gutter leaks
- Loose/broken gutters, vents, drainpipes, and vents
- Misaligned instead of seamless gutter
- Missing downspouts
- Sagging gutter
- Visible gutter dents
Hire a professional to accurately and safely inspect your potential damages and photograph the same for you.
Damaged Exterior Area and Structures
Wait to clean up your exterior area and structures after potential storm damage until you’re sure you have a claim. Inspect these areas, note any damage or missing items, and take pictures.
Remember that this checklist is only a guide. Your insurance companies will determine how much coverage you have and how much your policy covers.
You may want to take pictures of the damage or take notes in the spaces provided.
If you have storm damage in the following exterior areas and structures, call your insurance company and Johnson Exteriors to file a claim as soon as possible:
- Fallen trees or tree branches in your yard
- Visible fence damage
- Pool area damage
- Dents to parked cars in the driveway
- Outside air-conditioning unit damage
- Patio and deck furniture damage
Be aware that if there’s water flow in your crawl space or your house, it will be there for a while. Just as you would take pictures of the exterior to schedule gutter and downspout repair, for instance, take pictures of the interior, so it’s documented damage.
Call Your Go-To Storm Damage Assessors in Saint Michael, MN
If you’ve ever experienced storm damage to your home, you know the stress of a home insurance claim can be overwhelming.
There’s so much to do: assessing the damage, e.g., roof, siding, gutter, and downspout repair, filing the claim, and then dealing with all of the paperwork that comes along with it.
And that’s if everything goes smoothly. What happens if there are complications? What do you do if your insurance company denies your claim?
Fortunately, Johnson Exteriors is here to help. We’re experts in home insurance storm damage issues—from assessing water damage to repairing roof damage and even handling insurance claims.
We’ve got you covered from start to finish on every step of your claim process. Call us today at 763-355-4458 to take the stress off your shoulders and let us handle it for you.
