Once disaster strikes, most people tend to call their insurance company right away, hoping that they’ll get full coverage for the roof damage. However, this may not be the best idea. 

Instead, we suggest that you contact your local roofers first, as they can make the whole process not only much easier but also less stressful. Here are some of the benefits of calling a roofing company before filing an insurance claim.

Why You Should Get a Roof Inspection First

Expert Opinion

Sometimes, the problem is not that easy to identify. For instance, the roof damage may not be noticeable at first glance. What’s more, once you inspect the roof thoroughly, you might discover plenty of other, less evident problems. If the damage doesn’t appear too bad, the insurance company may try to downplay it and offer you less money. 

In contrast, when you get a roofing expert to assess the damage, they will give you an accurate estimate and make sure that you get what you deserve. It’s always better to get an expert’s opinion before making any sudden decisions.

Saves You Time and Effort

Anyone who has ever had to deal with insurance claims knows what a hassle they can be. For instance, there’s a bunch of paperwork that you need to fill out. Also, you always have to “haggle” with the insurance agent to get what essentially belongs to you. 

If you call a roofing contractor first, however, you may be able to avoid all of that confusion. 

Fortunately, many roofers have already teamed up with insurance companies. So, when you hire a roofing contractor, they might be able to help you file an insurance claim and negotiate too, saving you plenty of time and effort along the way.

Helps You Avoid Traps

In addition to always trying to lower your payout, insurance companies will also investigate every possible cause for the reported damage. For example, in case of a disastrous storm, they’ll need to make sure that the storm was the actual cause of the damage and not some other underlying issue. 

On top of that, they’ll try to find any reason to invalidate your claim. If they find traces of damage that wasn’t directly caused by the storm, they might decide that improper maintenance was the main problem.

However, if you call an independent roofing contractor before the insurance company, you can get a firsthand damage assessment. That way, you’ll know if calling the insurance agent is a good idea or not. In addition, you’ll get an accurate repair estimate, which should help you when negotiating a payout with the insurance company.

Call M&M Home Remodeling Services 

If your roof was damaged recently, feel free to contact M&M Home Remodeling Services for an independent assessment. Our experts will perform a detailed inspection of the roof, including the flashing and gutters, and provide you with an estimate. In addition, we’ll go over your insurance plan and advise you on what to do next. 

Want to get an idea of what a roof replacement will cost? Check out our most recent article: How Much does  Roof Replacement Cost?

The post Call a Roofer Before Your Insurance Company appeared first on M&M Home Remodeling Services.

Here’s what you can do to make his landing a little smoother:

Make Sure That Your Chimney Is Ready 

Naturally, you don’t want Santa to come out of your chimney all black and dusty with soot, and he probably wouldn’t appreciate it, either. He’ll never make it to all of those houses if he has to clean his suit after each home he visits. So, you should clean your chimney before he arrives.

Start by quickly cleaning the fireplace, then scrub all the way up to the top. When you’re finished, collect the soot from the bottom and do a detailed scrub of the fireplace.

Don’t Forget the Gutters

Before he goes down the chimney, he has to walk the whole roof to get to it. Now imagine if he were to slip and fall because your gutters were full of leaves. You probably wouldn’t find yourself on the “nice” list anytime soon. 

Do yourself a favor and clean your gutters thoroughly. Not only will that make it easy for Santa to get to your chimney but also reduce the risk of water damage to your roof.

Roofing Inspection Is a Must

Landing a sleigh is no easy task, especially on the roof. One big Santa, eight reindeer, plus all those presents — that’s got to weigh a lot. To prevent your roof from crashing down on you when Santa comes, you should check if it’s sturdy enough to handle the weight. 

However, you should never do a roof inspection on your own. Always go with a reliable local company; let their team inspect your roof and make the necessary repairs.

Prepare for Santa’s Landing

Before you even think about putting up decorations, you should crop the surrounding branches that stick out. Santa should have a clear view of your roof, a.k.a. his landing spot. If there are branches blocking his way, he could have an accident and hurt himself. And you definitely wouldn’t get any presents after that.

Carefully Choose the Decorations

As far as roof decorations are concerned, you should definitely go with something more subtle. Although Santa loves over-the-top decorations and lights as much as we do, he won’t appreciate if he gets tangled in them. So, keep it simple.

For instance, you can use LED strips to make a runway on the roof, which Santa can use to land with his sleigh safely. In addition, you can add arrows that will help him navigate on a cold foggy night. Keep in mind that Santa also has nine reindeer, so you should make enough room for all of them!

Other Nice Things You Can Do 

If you want, you can also leave a gift for Santa to show him that you care. He gives presents to all the children in the world, yet he never receives presents himself. And that needs to change! No matter if it’s cookies or a cute little “Thank you” note, Santa will be grateful. 

On the other hand, you can also leave some snacks for the reindeer. They’d surely appreciate some carrots after a long night of pulling the sleigh.

Final Thoughts

The truth is — Santa’s arrival is the perfect excuse to do the yearly roof inspection and gutter cleaning before the snow comes. And if you’re in NW Indiana or Chicago area, make sure you call M&M remodeling services and get a free estimate.

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