It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan. Wishing your Birmingham-area home never faces a roofing emergency does not prevent the stray tree branch, raging storm, or high winds from ravaging your roof. Having a roofing emergency action plan, though, is a great comfort for the day you need it. And here’s hoping you never need it!
Storm Damage
You keep up with routine roof maintenance. You get your annual roof inspection. Yet, even the best-prepared roof can suffer when a major storm strikes. Our state has endured 83 tropical and subtropical cyclones since 1851, and suffered from three hurricanes. Very few roofs can escape damage in a hurricane.
You must know how to react when a storm damages your Birmingham-area home’s roof. The preventive measures — roof inspections and regular maintenance — are great and can really be considered the first two steps of your roofing emergency action plan.
Here are the other five steps, your peace-of-mind solution when your heart races and your brain freezes:
- Assess the damage from the ground (never, ever climb onto your roof); look for blunt impacts on your shingle or metal roof, power lines in danger of falling, missing shingles or metal roof panels, or water leaks inside
- Have a safe place for you and your family to go in the event of a roofing catastrophe
- Call your insurance company and roofer; keep their numbers in a handy, memorable place; file a claim immediately after you assess the damage
- Get an estimate from your neighborhood roofer; know your deductible and be familiar with your insurance coverage (replacement cost is not the same as extended replacement cost, for example)
- Work with your roofer and insurance adjuster to get roof repairs or replacement started as soon as possible
A roofing emergency action plan gets you and your family from wishing to planning with a minimal effort. By choosing a neighborhood roofer, you automatically boost your chances of getting quick action, strong warranties, and a great repair job. Plus, you have a local ally to call upon for other roof-related concerns, before the next storm strikes.
Contact us today at Yellowhammer Roofing to find out more about a residential roofing emergency action plan. Having a complete plan to deal with a roofing emergency is great insurance against a dismal day we hope you never face.
