Helpful Home Tips
Roofing Tips
Filing A Claim For Hail Damage
Filing A Claim For Hail Damage
Hail is a form of solid precipitation. It is made up of irregular lumps of ice. Individually, they are referred to as “hail stones”. Hail is produced by severe thunderstorms . It forms in a very unstable air mass, when there is relatively cool dry air overlaying very warm and humid air.
If your roof is damaged by hail, first take care of your own personal safety. Second, file a claim with your insurance carrier as soon as possible. You should also take action to avoid further damage to your home. Cover holes in roofs with tarps or plywood to prevent water damage. Move wet items to a dry area, and wash and dry all damaged items.
Document the damage with photographs and video. Keep receipts from all temporary fixes. You may even need to get professionals to help with the clean up. They can be found under “restoration” or “water damage”.
You will want to review your insurance policy so that you are aware of your benefits. You will also want to make a thorough list of all damaged items. Include photographs, video and receipts in this documentation. Don’t throw away damaged items, especially expensive ones.
Have a claims professional assess your damage before you schedule any repairs. As soon as your damage has been assessed, go ahead and schedule repairs to prevent further damage to your home. Use a local, bonded and insured contractor to do the repairs. Make sure that you check the contractor’s references before hiring them to do the repairs.
Blog Post Provided by: Gwinnett County GA Hail Damage Roofers
6 Easy Steps for Installing Fascia Boards
You really don’t have to be a expert in carpentry nor is there a crash course in home repairs required to know how to install fascia boards. It just requires proper installation and some safety measures.
So let’s get into action, here we go:
Ø Keep the necessary tools ready to avoid any running around the house in search of things that you need. This way you will speed things up. Now, the necessary tools would include: fascia board, plane, table saw, crimper to help with metal sheets, power nailer or hammer, clamps, compound miter, saw, and Chalk Line.
Ø Start with the installation of the board and sheathing, the latter for both your roof and the fascia board. This ensures the roof fits well. You may even choose to add some sub fascias, which is made of lumber and aids in straightening the core fascia.
Ø Have a thorough knowledge about the roofs that you are working on, as this determines the main procedures to be followed. For instance, while working on hip roofs, you might want to fasten the fascia board to the rafter. Then again, in case of gabled roofs with gabled ends, you might want to put some markings in the board to make sure it makes a perfect fit for the rafters.
Ø While replacing or installing new fascia boards, it is advisable to twice nail the fascia boards to the soffits and joists, as this ensures better board stability
Ø It is imperative to make a wise choice on the depth of the fascia. In case of tiled roofs, the last thing you want is for it to collapse if it doesn’t hold on well could not bear the weight.
If in doubt seek professional help
Though there is endless number of search engines for the do-it-yourself enthusiasts to aid in the installation of fascia boards, you are better off seeking professional help even with an aorta of doubt.
Blog Post provided by: North Atlanta GA Roofers
Reasons Behind Leaky Skylights
Skylights are designed for sunlight lovers and are intended to brighten homes with sun, definitely not rain. Skylights are a fabulous addition to any kind of home. If you fit the description of getting depressed devoid of sunlight, then skylights are your best bet in making your home bright and breezy.
Well now, nothing comes without potential for flaws and skylights are no exception and are prone to structural issues. Don’t worry, there are ways and means to make the sun smile back at you. There are myriad of reasons behind a leaky skylight, to name a few – faulty weather seals or the skylight not being closed properly. High ceiling skylights are prone to leaks making it hard to verify if the skylight is closed completely. So it would be vital to ensure proper closure of the skylight first before concluding the reason to be a leak.
Squally Weathers Act against Skylights
Winters can call for accumulation of snow and ice on the skylights resulting in water blockage or build up thereby burdening skylights and resulting in leaks. Living in areas with squally weather conditions like tornadoes, hurricanes and hail storms one can expect hazards of leaks with debris striking the skylight – yet another major concern.
Other Causes
Few other causes of a leak could be from installation flaws. A leak may also be caused by impaired flashing or caulking, leaks occurring from other sources in the home, damaged roof shingles or even inadequate roof repairs. It cam take no time before a leak spreads to the skylight with the damage being on a part of the roof. Periodic checking of the entire roof is always a good recommendation to check for signs of damage. Anything damaging the roof by way of heavy downpour, hailstorms or any mishap can in turn affect the skylight as well.
Blog Post provided by: Roswell GA Roofers
What to Do If You Suspect You Have a Hail-Damaged Roof
A hail storm passes through your community. You aren’t sure if you have any hail damage to your roof or not, but you want yours repaired immediately, if it is damaged. What should you do? First, you can either inspect your roof yourself or contact a local licensed & insured roofer to inspect your roof for you. Hail damage results in a random pattern of strike marks in various sizes on shingles; so, if you inspect your roof yourself and see a pattern of damage, you most likely do not have damage caused by a hail. Hailstones leave “bruises” in the mat of shingles, which you can usually detect with your fingers by probing in and around the craters of the shingles.
If your inspection of your roof indicates to you that damage has occurred and you believe you have a hail claim, call your insurance company or agent. An adjuster will be assigned to come to your home, inspect the damage to consider the nature and extent of the damage, and give you an evaluation of what your insurance offers in the way of repair compensation. Depending upon the circumstances, the adjuster may or may not require your physical presence to review the damage. Before the adjuster’s visit, you may want to prepare a written list of items which you also noticed were damaged during the hail storm, such as windows, shutters, siding, fascia, ceilings, and satellite dishes, for the adjuster’s consideration during his evaluation.
Most home owner’s insurance companies require you to take any steps necessary to prevent further damage to your property after a hailstorm. Consequently, if you need to make the necessary repairs before the adjuster can personally inspect the damage, you may want to videotape or take good quality photographs of the damage and retain any damaged items, such as carpet or furniture, for the adjuster to examine when he/she does come to your home.
Take time to locate your home owner’s insurance policy and become familiar with it. You may discover that you have additional coverage you had forgotten about. In addition, make sure you also are aware of what the policy requires you to do to file a claim; and, double-check your policy’s exclusions, so you will know what is not covered by your policy. If you need to replace personal property, try to locate as many receipts as you can to provide an accurate record of how much you paid for replacement items.
After inspecting the damage, your insurance adjuster will prepare an estimate of the cost to repair your roof. Depending upon the nature and extent of damage, your adjuster will recommend repair or replacement. The adjuster will also calculate the Actual Cash Value (ACV) of your roof immediately prior to the hailstorm. If your roof was worth 75 percent of the value of a new roof, you will be entitled to 75 percent of the estimated cost to repair or replace the damaged area. Also, your deductible will be subtracted from the estimated ACV amount.
Check your policy’s deductible. Some home owner’s insurance companies charge a higher deductible for wind and hail damage than for damage caused by other circumstances. If you think that repairs to your roof will cost less than the amount of your deductible, you may not want to file a claim. Some insurance companies consider occurrences of wind and hail damage, even if no money was paid out, when they review whether or not to renew your policy each year.
Take note that if after working with your adjuster and insurance company, you believe they have not lived up to the provisions in your insurance policy, you have the right to file a complaint with the Department of Insurance. The Department of Insurance is, however, an administrative agency and not a court of law, so they are not able to decide questions of fact, such as whether or not damage to your roof was caused by hail or other factors. They can review the company’s handling of your claim though to ensure they complied with insurance laws and make the insurance company accountable for their actions.
How to Determine If Your Shingles Have Been Damaged by Hail
Hail results when frozen water drops are lifted in turbulent wind during a thunderstorm. These frozen raindrops then increase in size and eventually fall to earth as balls of ice driven to earth by a combination of gravity and wind forces, causing hail stones to fall anywhere from pea size (1/4 inch diameter), that cause little roof damage to marble size (3/4 inch in diameter), that cause some damage to roof materials, to golf ball size (1 1/2 inches in diameter), that typically cause severe roof damage. Hail size as well as the resulting roof damage caused by that hail tends to be localized causing some roofs to be damaged, while others are not. Wind direction in addition to roof pitch are important factors in the instances when homes are damaged by a particular hail storm; and, direct impact of hail on a shingle is more damaging to a roof than that of a glancing blow.
Assessing hail damage of your roof is usually accomplished by a roof inspection that occurs several days to several months after the hail event that caused the actual damage. You should also speak to a Licensed & Insured Roofing Contractor for an opinion on the damage. The determination of whether or not hail actually fell at a site is determined through statements and weather reports. Inspection of thin, aluminum fixtures attached to your home also helps verify hail impact. And, while denting on the fixtures may not impede their function, the denting does lead to a suspicion of roof damage and may instigate you to have your roof inspected by a qualified roofing inspector or contractor. For example, you may notice that condensing unit fins on your air conditioning system are deformed after a driving hailstorm; and, although this damage may or may not impair the overall operation of your air conditioning unit, odds are your roof has some hail damage and needs to be inspected.
If mild hail impact marks appear on your shingles, they will most likely dissipate over time with virtually no effect on shingle life. However, if impact marks are severe, they may cause splits in your shingles and adversely affect the life of your shingles. In particular, hail damage to asphalt shingles typically includes severe granule loss, material removal at the edges of the shingles and penetration through the shingles. Newer asphalt shingles are more resistant to hail impact than older shingles, as asphalt becomes more brittle with age. Warmer shingles are more compliant and more resistant to fracture from hail as compared to colder shingles. In addition, shingles that have a structurally sound substrate are more resistant to hail damage than those without a sound substrate; and, flexible roof sheathing allows shingles to flex during hail impact causing damage, while more rigid roof sheathing supports shingles during hail impact and results in less shingle damage.
Recently, roof shingle manufacturers have started listing products that conform to Underwriters Laboratories Test Standard UL 2218, which classifies the resistance of a particular roofing product to hail damage. This test is performed by dropping steel balls onto samples of shingle material and observing the damage. The rating system in this standardized test designates a Class 4 material as one that is the most resistive to hail damage, while a Class 1 rating is the material that is least resistive to hail damage. Consequently, some insurance companies reduce premiums when Class 4 shingles are used. Some roofing manufacturers, however, take issue with some of the testing methods used by the UL 2218 test, arguing that shingle aging and thermal environments are not taken into account in the test. So, check with your home owner’s insurance company before replacing shingles on your home or choosing roofing material for a new home construction project.
While most hail-related damage is cosmetic and does not affect the useful life of roof shingles, some hail-related damage cases severe wood splitting, significant granule loss, penetration of the shingle, and fracture, all of which require shingle replacement. Consult a local qualified roofing contractor if you think you may have shingle damage caused by a hail storm or if you are in doubt as to whether or not you need to replace shingles after a hail storm.
Gutter Cleaning Tips
The purpose of gutters is to route runoff from a very large surface—your home’s roof—to a place where rain can drain away from your house. As a result, gutters protect your home’s siding, windows, doors, and foundations from water damage as well as help prevent flooding in your basement.
For gutters and downspouts to function properly, they must be clear of leaves and debris. If they are clogged, drain outlets will dam up and rainwater will fill the gutters, back up, overflow, and eventually pull gutters loose from their mountings. In addition, when water pools in the troughs of your gutters, it will result in wood gutters rotting and sheet-metal ones rusting.
You can hire a service to clean your gutters, or save yourself a few bucks and do it yourself. As a general rule, gutters require cleaning at least twice a year, more often if your roof is directly beneath trees or you live in a region with frequent storms. You’ll want to take on a gutter-cleaning task only if you know you can work safely from a ladder or can safely navigate on your roof. If your roof line is higher than a single story, you’re probably better off hiring a professional gutter repair & service technician.
All you’ll need to clean your gutters yourself is a sturdy ladder. To begin, make sure you place your ladder on a firm, level base. You’ll most likely find that a tall stepladder is easier to use than an extension ladder. If you must lean an extension ladder against a gutter, protect the gutter from bending by placing a short piece of 2 by 4 inside it. Be sure to stand on the ladder with your hips between the rails, don’t lean out over the sides of the ladder, and never stand on the top two rungs.
If your roof has a low pitch and you’re comfortable working from the rooftop, you may find that it is easier to work from the roof rather than from a ladder. Only attempt to climb up onto your roof under extremely safe conditions and never climb up on your roof in wet, icy, or windy conditions. Try to wear non-slip shoes, and don’t lean over the edge or work near power lines. Wear heavy work gloves to protect your hands since gutters often have sharp metal parts or screw points sticking out into their troughs.
An alternative method for cleaning gutters, sometimes used by home handymen on low-sloped roofs, is to blow-dry debris out of gutters with a leaf blower. If you chose this method, wear goggles and a dust mask to prevent eye injuries. If you have a leaf-catching gutter system, make sure you remove the leaf-catching screens before cleaning.
Steps to Cleaning Your Gutters
First, scoop out any loose debris in your gutters. Start at a drain outlet at the low end of any gutter, and use a narrow garden trowel to scoop out loose debris. Work away from the drain outlet. Scooping out debris is easiest when the debris is slightly damp and pliable, not soggy or dried and encrusted; therefore, you may want to pick a time to clean when it has rained recently. Scoop the debris into a plastic garbage-can liner for an easy cleanup.
After scooping out the debris, hose out your gutters. Use an on-off high-pressure nozzle mounted at the end of a water hose to wash out each length of gutter. Work toward the drain outlet for easy runoff. Hosing out your gutters is a messy job; try to avoid splattering mud all over your house. Use a stiff scrub brush to break loose encrusted dirt.
Finally, take time to clear out any obstructions in your drainpipes. If water doesn’t drain freely through drainpipes, try flushing debris down them with a hose. Use a plumber’s auger (snake) to free and pull out hard-to-remove debris from the bottom.
Determining Hail Damage on Your Roof
When determining hail damage, the key is to know the difference between typical hail damage vs. wear and tear. This is especially important when filing an insurance claim. Insurance companies require their adjusters to identify specific damage caused by a hail storm vs. normal wear and tear.
Hail damage usually contains markings or bruises on one side of a roof and the damage is normally in the direction of the wind. The damage is normally a shade darker than the shingles of the roof.
If lighter markings appear on your roof, this generally means that lichen or algae have been knocked off the roof. Therefore, the shingles haven’t been damaged.
Additionally, improper roof installation techniques like nails pushing upward and even manufacturing flaws in shingles are usually misconstrued for hail damage.
With hail damage, you can usually wait a few weeks prior to getting it repaired only if your roof isn’t leaking. If your roof is leaking, don’t hold off getting it repaired, get it repaired immediately.
The surefire way of determining if your roof has been damaged due to a hail storm is to hire an experienced roof contractor. A experienced roof contractor will thoroughly inspect your roof and determine whether or not your roof has hail damage. A good roofing contractor will also work directly with your insurance adjuster to make sure the adjuster sees all of the damage and collateral damage to things like your gutters, you deck and any other possible places that have been hit by hail.
Post provided by – Roofing Hail Damage Claims Alpharetta GA.