3 Roofing Repair Tips For Homeowners After A Hail Storm
ShareA major hail storm can be a nightmare for homeowners. In the aftermath, you will likely find yourself climbing onto your roof to see just how bad the damage is. Don't panic -- between your insurance company and your local residential roofing services, your roof will soon be repaired and everything will go back to normal. Here are a few steps to take regarding your roof right after a major hail storm:
Do Your Own Inspection
While your roof will need to be inspected professionally by a roofing company, it makes sense to start off with your own inspection. This way, you can describe the damage to your insurance company and have a more accurate idea of how extensive the required repairs will be. Be careful when climbing up the ladder, and avoid actually climbing onto the roof. From the ladder, you should be able to get a clear idea of how large the divots or dents are in your roofing material, and whether or not any shingles were torn off during the storm.
You will also want to inspect the interior of your home. Are there any visible cracks or leaks in your ceiling from the storm? What about your attic? It's best to know if there are additional problems now so that everything can be repaired at once.
Contact Your Insurance Agent
Next, contact your homeowner's insurance agent to begin the claim process. They will ask you a series of questions over the phone and may ask you to email them any photos you have of the damage. Once you hire a roofing company to repair the damage, the roofing company will submit estimates of the repair cost. In most cases, the insurance company will also send out an adjuster to perform their own estimate.
Call Local Roofing Companies
Once you've filed your claim, it's time to begin calling roofing companies. It's usually wise to get a few estimates from different roofing companies. Make sure the companies you call are local, have plenty of great reviews, and offer free inspections and consultations. If a roofing company charges for an initial inspection, that can be a bad sign that they may be disreputable. Keep in mind that if your city had a widespread hail storm, roofing company appointments will book up quickly, so it's best not to procrastinate.
Experiencing major hail damage to your roof is never fun, but by following these tips you will minimize damage and get things back to normal as soon as possible.