Are you gearing up for the storms this season? Here are our helpful tips for post-storm roof damage assessment. It’s important to determine the extent of damage your roof has suffered as soon as possible. This way, you seek assistance at the earliest, avoiding further losses.
1. Inspect the Attic
The first thing you can do is to walk to your attic and look for signs of holes in your roof. If you find water on the attic floor or infiltrating the roof, that’s all the evidence you need of roof damage. Also, water stains on the ceiling and the wall seams are indicators of damage as well.
2. Walk around the Perimeter
Once the storm is over, you must walk around the perimeter of your house. Even from a ground level, you’d be able to note any damage your roof may have suffered. Blown-off shingles, unnatural lean of the roof, nearby trees, etc., are all big indicators.
3. Windows, Vents, Gutters
Another way to look for signs of damage is to look for vents or cracks in the windows, roofing accessories, home gutters and etc. If you find overhanging or gable vents, broken glass, and others, you can suspect considerable damage to the roof too.
4. Fallen Limbs and Trees
Finding fallen limbs or trees can also be signs of roof damage, and this is not an uncommon occurrence. You can call in a professional arborist to come and assess the health of your trees and see if any are in danger of toppling on your roof post the storm.
Also, it would be best to call in a professional roofer to have a look at the fallen trees and the possible damage they may have done to your roof.
5. Siding
Observe your siding, too, after the storm passes away. If you spot any dimple-like dents, then the chances are high that your house has taken a beating during the storm. It is, therefore, likely that the roof has been through some damage too, and calling in a professional to assess your roof would be best.
6. Flashing
Once the storm is over, you’d be wise to look for flashing around your skylights and chimneys. These are prime targets for the strong winds, and if you find flashing, you know the roof may not be in good shape. Damaged flashing means there is a possibility for water to seep into your home and create mildew, mold, and structural damage.
7. Observe the Neighbors
Yes, that’s exactly what you read. Sure, maybe you can’t spot any visible signs of roof damage, but if you see your neighbors calling in professional roofers for an inspection, you’d be wise to do the same. If more than one neighbor felt the storm was strong enough to harm their roof, it could be possible for yours to have suffered some unknown damage too.