How do you know your roof is damaged?
Walk a distance away from your home and look at the roof from afar. Do you see missing shingles, dark streaks, or dark spots? These are all signs that storm damage has occurred, and you need to get a reputable roofer out to take a look as soon as possible.
Signs of roof damage indoors: You don’t have to go crawling on the roof to find signs your roof has storm damage. It could be a leaky or water-stained ceiling or wall, the smell of mildew you just can’t find, or even a dripping sound coming from the attic.
Signs of roof damage outdoors: If you notice an excess of asphalt granules in your downspouts or drainpipes, there’s a chance you could have damage. These particles break loose when something impacts them or severe rain or wind loosens them from the shingles. Sometimes the impact of hail can drive the bits into your drains, but it could be caused by heavy rainfall as well.
Get an inspection as soon as the damage occurs
Hail can wreak havoc on a roof in no time. In 2008, a storm carrying golfball-sized hail ripped through Tulsa leaving roofs damaged from Glenpool to Broken Arrow.
Interestingly enough, the home you see in the video happened to be new construction at the time of that storm, and it fared well. No roof inspector was called out, and no report was made to insurance.
However, as the years went by, tiny leaks broke through the shingles into the attic. Even though the homeowners were diligent to make repairs as problems appeared, 14 years later, the entire roof had to be replaced—at their own expense. The delayed reporting cost them $25,000.
Does your roof have hail or wind damage?
If you’re looking for a roof replacement, it’s likely to be approved for hail or wind only—not both. Some insurance companies do a good job taking care of the situation in your time of need, while others do not. But in most cases, an insurance company will pay for a roof replacement if you can prove hail or wind damage occurred on a particular storm date.
And you must provide the date of loss to them ASAP. This can get tricky if you’re just now realizing that the roof has been leaking slowly into the attic for a few years.
What is a “date of loss”?
Your best bet as a homeowner is to keep an eye on the weather, and if you go through a particularly nasty hail or wind storm, get your roof checked out right after the storm has passed. The insurance company is much more likely to accept your claim if the date of loss matches a known storm date.
We recommend you contact a reputable roofer immediately after a hailstorm or a strong wind event. Doing so will give you a date of loss to give the insurance company when asked. And it just might save you the thousands of dollars a roof replacement will cost you as well as the expense of small repairs over time.
Get a roof inspection by a reputable roofer ASAP
Don’t wait, or your roof replacement could come out of your own pocket. Roof damage isn’t always what it seems, and many times the insurance company won’t replace an entire roof for localized damage. A reputable roofer can save you lots of money by determining the extent of the damage and just how likely your insurance company is to ask you to contract out a repair instead of a roof replacement.
No matter what, the moment you suspect a problem, call us at (918) 276-7285. As the oldest roofing company in Tulsa and beyond, we’re here to help.