This is the first house that we owned and with it comes as whole slew of new problems including roof damage. Welcome to home ownership! I hope when you went to purchase your house you did the extended due diligence to make sure there were no structural issues with the house and proper roof maintenance has been performed. These can be incredibly expensive if one of these pop up after you have purchased the house. I am going to dive into roof damage to asphalt shingles in this article and how to ensure that it does not happen to you. If an emergency roof repair is in your future you want to make sure that you have adequate coverage for your roof replacement costs.
Roof Damage Can Happen Any Season:
Snow/Ice/Hail
Ice and hail damage are the two main causes of damage to asphalt shingles and flashing. Looking for little dings on the flashing is a sure sign that you have had hail damage, depending on the size of the hail will determine how large the dings are. Contact your homeowners insurance carrier to ensure that you have the correct hail damage insurance. Spending a little now for adequate roof damage insurance coverage will provide peace of mind later
Ice and snow buildup on the roof can melt and refreeze with the changing temperatures. Ice can get under the shingles and refreeze expanding and move and pull apart roofing material. It is very important to have a roofing contractor review and repair any damage as soon as it is spotted as this can quickly escalate to the need to replace the entire roof. Moreover, the pros at Jayhawk Exteriors, warn that “if maintenance or repairs are not performed by a licensed contractor, there’s a chance that it could void the warranty.”
Rain
Enduring a rain storm ensuring that you basement doesn’t flood can be enough to worry about. Having an inadequate roof can compound the problem if there is a leak. The last thing you want to do is run up to the attic to find out that my roof is leaking. During the warmer weather hire a contractor to go up on the roof to ensure that no asphalt shingle are curling or missing. We usually forget to do this until it is too late and the roof leaks.
Summer Heat
Not only do you have to worry about the wind, rain, and hail roof damage you need to worry about the warm summer heat. If you attic is not adequately ventilated the heat can dry rot the asphalt roof shingles creating roof leaks.
Just because it is warm out doesn’t mean you are out of the woods from worrying about roof damage, as you can see heat can be just as devastating to a roof.
Homeowners Insurance For Roof Damage
There is one thing for certain in life it is that at some point you will need your insurance coverage whether it is health insurance, car insurance or homeowners insurance and you will be forever grateful that you have an adequate policy. So what do you need to make sure that you have in your homeowners coverage. Reading and understanding your insurance coverage is critical so that when a disaster occurs you can rest assured knowing that you are covered. The cost of replacing a roof can run to the tune of ten grand which is a lot of money. I know I do not have that kind of money laying around. There typically is a deductible which you must pay before your insurance coverage kicks in, usually $500 or $1,000. There are 2 parts to homeowner insurance coverage, one covers liability should someone get injured on your premises and the other is for damage to your dwelling. A leaky roof can not only damage the structure of your home, it can also damage the contents inside by dripping on an antique table.
Make sure that you have adequate homeowners coverage to protect against a potential damaged roof that may occur when you least expect it.
Summer heat is a big one that many neglect. Great post.
Good post! In my neighborhood there has been a flurry of post cards left on mail boxes and doors. Most of them read something along the lines of, “You have storm damage on your roof, learn how you can replace it for little to no cost”. I’m not sure that it’s an insurance scam but roofers in central NC have apparently caught on to a new way to drum up business after storms come through.
This is an awesome post for new homeowners or people looking to purchase their first home. Whenever I hear of a friend attempting to purchase their first home I always make sure to inform them to check the roof, pipes, heating, and any other major part of the house that could incur HUGE amounts of money to repair should they need it. Great post. Cheers!
Here in Florida, storm damage from rain and wind are the major factors homeowners must contend with on a yearly basis. Great article providing helpful info and you are correct in encouraging everyone to have adequate insurance coverage to protect their property.
This is an excellent article for families looking to buy a new house. Several of my customers have had the same issue. Wishing that they had payed a closer inspection on the house they bought.
Very valuable post, many people worry about finances and keeping a roof over their head is their main priority. This helps with both! Great stuff.
That’s the problem with roofs, the weather eats away at the structure, thus creating an expensive bill for repair or replacement.
The day mankind finds an everlasting roof system all us roofers will be out of work. 🙂
This blog post is relevant and to the point. I recommend it to everyone visiting this blog.
A roofing job is not something that you can start and then finish as your own leisure. Once you have torn up the old structure, you only have a few days to make sure that you get the job completed.
Interesting post indeed. Whether we like it or not, even a well-built roof will eventually wear out. Apart from having an insurance, it’s very important to routinely check your roof for damages to keep your family safe. Thanks for sharing this post and happy new year to you and your family!
Timely ideas . I was enlightened by the points – Does anyone know if I might obtain a sample NC Insurance Uniform App to Participate as Healthcare Practitioner document to complete ?
Summer heat and ice dams cause roof damage mostly.But it may happen in any season for any reason.
Roof damage can be expensive but if you take care of your roof and have a comprehensive policy you can manage any repairs that may come along. Thanks for sharing!