Well, here at M&M Home Remodeling Services, we like to help keep the community informed on properly assessing roof storm damage. With that in mind, here is a handy little checklist for everything you need to examine after a storm when it comes to your roof.  

Different Types of Roof Damage

Hail

Hail is one of those types of precipitation that doesn’t last long but leaves a massive impact. Large, solid chunks of ice can leave dents in anything from concrete to metal, and the damage they can do to a roof can be quite severe. For example, hail can leave your roof covered with pockmarks and dents in your shingles. It can also knock loose shingle granules, which give your roof protection against the elements. 

Wind

Both light and heavy wind can cause damage to the shingles. For instance, sharp, sudden gusts of wind might curl the shingles and leave them “open” to rain. Heavy, hurricane winds can outright tear the shingles off, leaving everything underneath exposed. 

Debris

Often, hurricanes and strong winds bring debris with them, such as stones, branches, and even refuse. Large objects can dent or damage the shingles when hurled at high speeds. That damage can leave the roof susceptible to water intrusion. 

Standing Water

Uneven roofs or roofs without proper drainage can retain some of the water from rain storms or even melting snow. The water can slowly penetrate the underlayment of the roof deck, which can cause damage to not only the roof but also the walls and the ceilings of your home. 

Conducting a Roof Inspection

Inspect the Roof

Before contacting a roofer, it’s important to assess the damage, so naturally, the roof is the first place you need to look. Check everything, from every angle possible, and note down any damage you see. It’s also instructive to look under the roof from your window and see if there’s any additional damage. 

Inspect Ceilings and Attics

Sometimes, a roof might look good after a storm, but the water will still come through somewhere. That’s why it’s important to check your attic and your ceilings, as well as any light fixtures. If you see moisture forming anywhere, you probably have a leak.

Inspect Vents, Windows, and Gutters

Water can leak through anywhere, not just your roof. So, when assessing the damage, make sure to inspect all of your windows for cracks or tears, and see if the vents aren’t clogged. In addition, make sure that the gutters are fine and that there are no signs of bending, breaking, or tearing. 

M&M, a Roofer You Can Trust

When you assess your roof for storm damage, you will need a roofer you can trust. Here at M&M, we’ve been helping over 50,000 people with roof-related issues since 1976. So, if you need some repairs on your roofs, sidings, windows, or gutters, give us a call today. 

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But we are talking about are those cute fur-and-feather balls that like to trespass on our roofs every now and then like raccoons, squirrels, mice, rats, opossums and birds.

Let’s face it, animals are always on the lookout for shelter, and human-made roofs make for prime real estate. Our homes offer protection from the elements, safety from predators, and a nice view from above. 

On the flip side, they can wreak havoc on our homes and our health and it’s important to recognize the difference between damage from Mother Nature and damage from pesky critters.

“So what?” you might be thinking. “That raccoon family up there is not bothering me.” 

However, even if you are an animal lover, it’s not a good idea to let rodents and birds colonize your home. 

While they are usually not heavy or strong enough to break anything, they do have extra sharp claws that will leave hundreds of scratch marks on your roof! They can also damage the soffit and break the shingles.

How to Get a Wild Animal Off Your Roof

Animals generally find it easier to climb up than to climb down, which is why they might need a helping hand in getting off your property. 

The first thing you need to do is try to assess if the animal is injured. If it seems to be in good health, get a long wooden plank or a ladder and prop it against the edge of the roof. Step back and leave some distance between you and the animal.

Soon, it should climb back down to safety and happily scurry away.

However, if your little furry visitor is injured, it might not be able to get down on its own. What’s more, animals in pain tend to be more fearful and aggressive and may try to attack if approached by humans. 

Therefore, if you suspect that the animal might not be in optimal health, call your local animal control and leave the job to the professionals.

How to Deal With Birds Nesting on Your Roof

Birds love to build their homes on top of our homes, especially along soffits and roof edges. To discourage birds from nesting on your roof, consider installing a moving roof ornament to frighten them away. 

What if Your Roof Is Already Damaged?

Sometimes, animals cause more serious damage to our roofs than the occasional scratch mark. They can damage the soffit and break the shingles, which can lead to bigger issues if left untreated. 

Your best option? 

Contact us today for a free estimate. Our roofing specialists will assess the damage to your roof and recommend the best and most cost-effective solution.

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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?

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Depending on its size and velocity, hail can certainly do a lot of damage to a roof. It can crack shingles, dent metal flashing, or even puncture the roof, causing permanent damage and thousands of dollars in repairs.

That being said, you need to check up on your roof after every hailstorm. If you notice any of the signs that we listed below, make sure you get in touch with M&M Home Remodelling as soon as possible. The sooner you attend to the damage, the better. 

And if you don’t do anything about it, the problem will only worsen with time. Eventually, you’ll notice leaks on your ceiling and walls.

Long story short — in case of a hailstorm, be observant and prepared to act quickly if necessary.

How to Tell If There’s Any Roof Damage

As we mentioned, the damage depends on the size of the hail. Small, pea-sized hail most likely won’t cause any noticeable changes. On the other hand, larger hail might break tiles and shingles. 

Whatever the extent of hail damage, make sure you take “before and after” pictures of your house to help back up your insurance claim. 

In General 

Before climbing up to check on the roof, make sure you do a ground check first. Obviously, if you notice parts of your roof scattered around your yard, that probably means that it’s damaged.

Also, make sure you inspect the surrounding objects — fences, gutters, vents, air conditioners, etc. If they’re compromised, the roof is most likely compromised too.

Finally, check the metal components of your roof (such as vents and flashing) and see if there are any scratches and dents.

Asphalt Roofs

First of all, you should check the gutters. If you notice roof granules in there, it’s time to move on to the roof itself. Look for scratches, round dents, and exposed felt, as they’re telltale signs that your roof was damaged by hail.

Slate Roofs

Ceramic or stone barriers of a slate roof should be able to endure a few punches here and there. However, this roof is far from safe when it comes to hailstorms.

Outright holes in the tiles indicate that the hail has managed to break through the roof. On the other hand, scratches and cracks mean that the hail has only grazed the roof. Still, that might have caused the tiles to loosen up, which also requires repairs. Additionally, you might want to check if the corners of the roof have been chipped or cracked.

Call M&M Home Remodelling Today and Get a Free Estimate 

As soon as you notice any of these signs, contact M&M Home Remodelling Services and get a free estimate. We’ve been in the business for over 40 years, so there’s no roofing problem that’s too big for us. 

If you submit your request before 11 am, you can get a same-day appointment. That way, you don’t have to wait a whole day, you can attend to the issue immediately. As we already know, time is precious when it comes to hail damage.

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When you don’t handle roof damage, it goes from bad to worse really fast. What should have been a routine repair or overhaul can easily turn into roof repair and mold removal, beam replacement, etc.

In order to handle roof damage quickly and effectively, you need to be able to detect what kind of damage it is, as well as how severe it is. Knowing what you’re dealing with would help you plan your actions. 

Additionally, it will point the contractors in the right direction when they come in to do repairs. 

Pest Damage

Pests remain the most underrated form of roof damage, but they are definitely not harmless. Rodents can chew through shingles pretty easily. They usually chew through the roof in order to get to the attic. Before you know it, you have a leaky roof full of holes, as well as an attic full of rats.

Because it’s not instantly noticeable, pest roof damage can easily go unattended for a long time. 

If you have tree branches touching your roof, you should take precautions. Either trim the branches or check your attic regularly. Look for animal droppings, rodents, or chewed up cardboard and fabric. In case you find any of these, your next step should be a detailed roof inspection.

Hail Damage

In Chicago and NW Indiana, you’re no stranger to bad weather and hailstorms. Unfortunately, hail can lead to significant roof damage.

Most roofs can withstand strong hailstorms, and they only suffer minor damage. However, each storm wears the shingles out bit by bit. While the damaged shingles may still protect the roof to an extent, eventually they become vulnerable to mold and moisture. In addition, not replacing damaged shingles will cause them to break down, leaving holes in your roof.

Aside from shingle wear, hail can also easily shred your gutters to pieces, as well as damage to your flashing. If it goes through a hole in the roof, the hole could expand faster than usual and structural beams may be compromised. We suggest you inspect your roof after each and every hailstorm.

Leaks and Moisture

Most of the leakage is caused by rain and leaks in the roof. If you leave a leaky roof unattended for too long, you will eventually see damage on your walls and ceilings. Unfortunately, that’s mostly a sign that it’s too late to minimize the damage. Moisture can rot out your wooden beams quite fast, and you’ll need to remodel at least half of your house.

In addition to leaky roofs, moisture roof damage can also be caused by roof moss. Moss absorbs and retains moisture from the rain. All that moisture gets transferred to the roof, where it can cause the most damage.

Damaged Flashing

If you look closely, you will see that every joint on your roof is covered with a sheet of material (usually metal) called flashing. It’s typically made of aluminum, but it can also be from galvanized steel as well as other materials. If it weren’t for the flashing, all those wooden joints would be vulnerable to water damage.

The flashing has to be replaced every once in a while, just like the roof does. The exact lifetime of your flashing depends on the weather conditions and how well you maintain the rest of the roof. 

Pinhole-sized punctures are a clear sign that your flashing is damaged. If you happen to see these tiny holes on your flashing, you should replace it in order to avoid further roof damage.

Conclusion

Whatever type of roof damage you have, the most important thing you should do is call the roofing contractors immediately. In the long run, if you do regular roof inspections, you’ll save yourself an enormous amount of money, time, and stress.

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Check Downspouts

Each time hail hits your roof, the top granule layer will likely be knocked off of the shingles by the force of the impact. As rainwater continues to flow, these granules will get taken down the gutter to your downspout. Check for loose granules at the end of the downspout as an easy way to detect the granule loss of your roof’s shingles.

Check your Air Conditioner

AC units contain a condenser coil on the upward-facing side which is made from strips of fine aluminum fins. These fins are typically exposed to the elements and when they are hit by hail, they become visibly bent (limiting air circulation). If there are clear signs of damage, it is likely that your home and roof have sustained damage as well.

Look for Dents on Metal Components

Hail damage typically causes dents on soft or thin metals on your home such as gutters, gutter guards and downspouts. Look for dents in these surfaces by running a piece of chalk across the gutter or downspout. Dents will be identified by the spots the chalk doesn’t appear. Hail striking hard enough to dent this metal will have certainly caused additional damage to your roofing system and shingles.

Scan the Roof

Safely climb a ladder to the edge of the roof and scan for any obvious signs of loose granules or dents in the roofing system. You should only do this if you feel comfortable and own the proper safety equipment. Keep in mind, damage on shingles might be hard to spot with untrained eyes so it may be preferable to consult a professional at this time.

Regularly Take Photos

It’s always a wise decision to take inventory of your home before disaster strikes. Do yourself a favor and periodically take photos of your home for use in any future insurance claims. This will help solidify your case and ensure that you receive the maximum settlement for the damage your home has incurred.

In Conclusion

If you are not well-experienced with inspecting a roof for possible damage, do not hesitate to contact us today for a free estimate and diagnosis of any damage to your home. Most in-home estimates can be performed within 24 hours.

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