Steps To Repair Your Roof After A Storm

North Texas storms are infamous for causing damage, such as fallen trees and ripped off roofs.

Because we live in tornado alley, we frequently have to deal with these destructive storms and twisters.

Regardless of where you live, storm damage, wind damage, and hail damage are a common problem for many homeowners.

The roof is your home’s first line of defense from the elements, but unfortunately, it’s also the most susceptible to damage, so it’s important to keep up with repairs, especially after a severe storm.

Storm or hail damage can cause roof leaks, which can lead to mold or costly water damage repair problems down the line.

After the storm passes, you should check for roof damages, contact your insurance agent, and take these steps to protect your roof.

How To Spot Signs of Roof Damage

1. Go Outside

If it’s safe to do so, go outside and look for signs of storm damage on the ground. Check the area for missing shingles, metal trim, and flashing.

Look at the chimney to see if it’s leaning, missing bricks, or flashing.

Examine the condition of valleys, outer edges, and vents. Cracked vents may allow water and debris to enter your attic, which could lead to water damage or mold growth.

Don’t forget to check for other signs of exterior home damage, such as broken bricks, windows, and damaged siding.

2. Check The Gutters

Check for dented gutters or broken downspouts. Gutters and downspouts play an important role in directing water away from your house and preventing water damage to your foundation and home, so don’t delay in applying repairs.

Get a ladder and look for pieces of asphalt granules in the gutter, as this could be a sign of shingle damage.

If your gutters or downspouts are clogged with debris, clear them out with a hose to prevent water from spilling over and onto the side of your home.

3. Perform An Indoor Inspection

Inspect your attic or ceilings for leaks, mildew, or moisture marks on the wall. Rusty, brown-colored stains are a sure-fire indicator of a roof leak.

Peeling or bubbling paint is another sign that water is trapped in your walls.

Also, keep an eye on your energy bill. If you experience a sudden increase in energy costs, it may be a sign that your roofing ventilation system is compromised.

4. Check For Hail Damage

Hail causes billions of dollars in property damages each year, and because it’s the main culprit behind most roof damage problems it deserves its own subsection.

Look for the following signs of hail damage and apply repairs if you find any.

At What Size Does Hail Cause Roof Damage?

This is a tricky question to answer because there’s a lot of variables at play.

Roof damages are dependent on both roofing materials (which can vary in age, product type, and impact location) and the hailstones (which can vary in size, hardness, and impact angle).

On average, hailstones 1? inches in diameter, or larger, can cause damage to your standard asphalt shingles.

Hail around 1 1/4? inches in diamter (about the size of a golf ball) can cause damage to wood shingles.

What Does Hail Damage Look Like On A Roof?

Different materials have different reactions when hail strikes them, but on average most homes use asphalt or wood shingles. Here are the common tell-tale signs of hail damage on your roof.

Hail Damage To Composition/Asphalt Shingles:

• Soft spots or dark spots that look like bruises.

• Dimpled shingles.

• Cracked or broken shingles.

• Hail storms can loosen the granules that make up the top surface of the shingle. Check your gutters for pieces of granules.

• Exposed roof felt.

• Asphalt that appears shiny. New hail hits appear shiny because the asphalt is freshly exposed and hasn’t had time to dull to a darker color.

Hail Damage To Wood Shingles:

• Fractures that expose an interior orange color.

• Punctured pieces of wood.

• Dents along the splits.

• Splits with sharp edges.

• Wood shingles with impact marks.

It should be noted that it’s impossible to determine the extent of the roof damage just from looking at the ground level.

Don’t Attempt Roof Repairs On Your Own

Roof repair is not a DIY job, especially after a storm, as wet conditions make the job dangerous.

You should hire a professional storm damage restoration company, who can safely and accurately assess the damage. A storm damage restoration company is able to both repair roofs AND check for leaks.

Is Roof Damage Covered By Insurance?

According to Allstate, most homeowner insurance policies cover damage from storms, hail, wind, and fallen trees.

If you believe you’ve sustained roof damage, you should immediately contact your insurance agent and document the damages.

Keep records of any expenses, including emergency repairs you might have applied to broken windows or holes in the roof.

PRO TIP: Call the insurance company sooner than later. If a severe storm ripped through the area, there’s likely to be an influx of insurance claims. File yours as soon as possible so you don’t get stuck in the backlog.

Rebuild With Storm-Resistant Materials

Depending on the extent of the damage you might need roof repairs or an entire roof replacement. During the repair process think ahead of time and prepare your roof before the next storm hits.

Rebuild your roof with materials that are more storm-resistant than your traditional asphalt shingles.

When you’re shopping around look for shingles that are classified by the Underwriters Laboratories or Factory Mutual with a number of UL 2218 or FM 4473, Class 3 or 4.

These impact-resistant roofing materials are specifically designed to endure severe winds, hail, and debris.

While these materials are more costly than traditional asphalt shingles, these materials can increase the lifespan of your roofing system and can help you avoid future repair bills.

Leaking Roof? Contact a Hail & Storm Damage Pro Near You

If you’ve discovered your roof has sustained damage or is leaking water, it’s important to call a trusted storm damage repair company.

Applying roof repairs is a dangerous job, especially after a storm, because you can easily fall off due to the slippery conditions.

If you live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and need professional roof leak repair contractor, contact regent restoration for help.

When we arrive we’ll provide you with a FREE roof inspection and hail damage assessment.

Our roof leak repair experts use specialized leak detection equipment, such as infrared cameras, so that they can find the true source of the water and accurately assess the damage.

After the inspection, our skilled contractors will immediately begin extracting water, drying affected areas, and repairing your damaged roof, shingles, drywall, framing, and other materials.

If the storm created exposures in your roof or windows, we also provide emergency roof tarping and board up services so that your home is protected until repairs are made.