Your roof is an essential feature of your home. Not only does it protect your family from the elements, but it also provides infrastructure for other home systems like air conditioning and insulation.
While apparent threats to your roof include major natural disasters like hurricanes, more minor thunderstorms, and blizzards can still damage your roof. Understanding what to do before, during, and after a storm is crucial to ensuring a comprehensive and effective storm damage repair process.
Types of Storm Damage
Different types of storm damage require different repairs. Understanding how property damage can differ with wind, water, hail, and debris helps technicians perform proper maintenance and prevent further damage.
Wind Damage
Wind damage varies greatly depending on the storm or natural disaster at hand. For example, hurricanes or severe blizzards blow winds from 40 mph to over 75 mph. These strong forces can adversely affect your whole roof or just some parts.
Strong winds can blow off an entire roof, while less intense winds can damage or curl up shingles, leading to other problems like water damage.
Water Damage
Water damage is one of the worst problems a roof can experience. When standing water leaks into your roof, it can cause mold growth and structural damage.
Water damage may occur if strong winds or other forces damage your roof. Gray spots on your ceiling or strange smells from your air vents are common signs of water damage that you should be familiar with. The dangers of water damage range from minor staining to severe mold growth, so schedule a repair as soon as possible.
Hail Damage
While hailstorms are usually short, they can still cause damage to your roof. Hail can cause dents, pockmarks, and loose shingles, increasing the risk of water or sun damage. Check your roof for signs of wear and tear after a hailstorm.
Debris and Landscaping Damage
Strong winds during a rain or winter storm can blow debris and landscaping throughout your yard and damage your home. Trees, branches, and stray trash can damage cars, windows, exterior HVAC units, and outdoor living spaces.
Removing these objects after the storm may not be enough. If damage is significant, storm damage repair will be necessary to return your home to its pre-storm condition.
Storm Damage Repair Checklist
Use the following storm damage repair checklist as a reference point throughout your post-storm restoration process.
Before Storm Damage Occurs
While many homeowners believe repairs begin after a storm, there are crucial preparation steps that minimize potential damage. Since many storms are typically predictable, you can be proactive about your preparation.
Secure Your Home Features
Secure any outdoor home features that could blow around during a storm, such as furniture pieces, outdoor toys, pools, or trash cans.
Remove Objects Like Debris and Fallen Landscaping
Since there is a risk of landscaping and other debris damaging your home, clear stray branches, loose bushes, or trash before the storm. These objects can break through windows during a storm and expose your interiors to the elements.
Clean and Clear Gutters, Driveways, and Storm Drains
When a storm threatens your home, you want to prepare your infrastructure to brave the elements. Since gutters and neighborhood sewers will help alleviate water flow and debris, give these features their best chance before the storm. Hiring professionals to clean gutters and clear all pathways leading to storm drains will increase their efficiency.
Trim Landscaping
Beyond dealing with fallen landscaping, be proactive about managing other landscaping features. Trimming branches and bushes that could dislodge during the storm can protect your home and roof from severe issues. Knowing how to prepare your trees before a storm can go a long way in preventing damage.
Schedule Routine Preventative Maintenance to Address Existing Issues
When meteorologists warn of a brewing storm, it’s a good idea to schedule preventative maintenance for your roof and other home features. Ensuring shingles are intact and your roof’s structure is solid can save you money, time, and repairs after the storm.
Know Your Insurance Policies and Storm Damage Claim Processes
Regardless of how well you prepare, a storm can always damage your home. Reviewing your insurance policies beforehand is the best way to ensure successful storm damage claims.
Consider adding additional coverage if you’re concerned about the severity of an incoming natural disaster. Review this pre-storm insurance checklist to make sure you have comprehensive coverage.
During the Storm
Although there are many steps you can take to protect your home before and after, there are fewer things you can do during a storm. The most important consideration for the actual event is ensuring you’re in a safe, comfortable place. If you’re worried your home might not be the best location to wait out the storm, go to a friend or family’s house with better protection.
After the Storm
Now that the storm is over, it’s time to assess the damage and begin storm damage repair. Hiring professionals to assist in repair work is the best way to restore your property.
Schedule a Professional Storm Damage Repair Inspection
While you can inspect your home for noticeable signs of damage, hiring a professional inspection and repair company, like Johnson Exteriors, can help account for all the damage to your roof and property.
Professional inspections include examining the following:
- Exterior
- Roof internal structure
- Roofing shingles and exterior
- Internal structure
- Basement inspection
- Other exterior home features
Hire Johnson Exteriors for a comprehensive inspection that puts your mind at ease.
Enlist Trustworthy, Reliable Contractors for Repairs
After assessing damage, it’s crucial to hire reliable contractors with relevant experience to conduct all the repair work. Homeowners without proper tools and certifications are unfit to repair essential structural features. Attempting to do so can lead to more expensive repairs.
Call Your Homeowners Insurance Provider
Finally, call your homeowner’s insurance provider to confirm your coverage. Subsidizing repairs through insurance helps restore your home to pre-storm conditions more quickly.
Get Storm Damage Repair Service from Johnson Exteriors
For more information about storm damage repair or to schedule an inspection, call Johnson Exteriors at (763) 878-6900.
