The roof is one of the most essential parts of your home, but it often goes unappreciated. Even under ideal conditions, your roof needs to stand up to damaging UV rays, wind, rain, and many other environmental hazards. However, storms truly put this critical component to the test. Hurricanes, hail, or even severe thunderstorms can all cause surprising amounts of damage.
Although no one wants to pay for costly repairs, the price of inaction following a storm can be much higher. If you're the type of person who'd rather sit and think about a problem for a while before making a final decision, consider these three reasons why roofing storm damage requires immediate action.
1. Fewer Insurance Hassles
Depending on your insurance company and state laws, you'll usually have a certain amount of time to file any claim against your homeowner's insurance. However, it's rarely a good idea to test these limits by waiting until the last minute. Putting off your claim can potentially expose you to various hassles and complications that may delay or reduce your payout.
For example, many insurance companies don't want to pay for damages your policy doesn't cover. Getting in your claim while the damage is still fresh gives you the best chance of proving that it's the result of a problem covered by your policy. If you wait, any wear or damage that occurs in the meantime can muddy your claim.
2. Potential Water Damage
One of the primary roles your roof has is to keep you dry. If storm damage compromises your roofing, it may also compromise its ability to keep water out of your home. Ignoring missing shingles or other obvious signs of storm damage can provide an entry point for water, leading to significant interior damage the next time it rains.
Remember that wind and pressure can affect water's ability to enter your home. In other words, don't assume you're safe just because you stayed dry after a storm. If your roof is damaged, changes in wind direction or heavier rain may allow water to find a weak point, even if it couldn't do so when the weather was less severe.
3. Less Protection
Your roof consists of multiple layers to work together to protect your home. If one or more of these elements fails, the others become more vulnerable. For example, damaged flashing can allow water to seep under shingles, which can then loosen those shingles and expose your decking. Rotting decking can ruin your roof, ultimately forcing you to replace the entire thing.
If you believe a storm has damaged your roof, the best option is to act as quickly as you can. Evaluating and repairing your damage now can save you significant frustration and expenses in the future. Contact a roofing service to learn more.