Storm damage to your home can be catastrophic depending on the level of damage sustained. With growing frequency, severe weather patterns have struck Southwest Michigan over the last few years. We’re finding that more and more communities are experiencing some level of roof storm damage to their home exterior.

Roofing and siding tend to expose most of the sustained damage when a home is impacted by a storm. Whether it’s caused by strong winds, falling trees, or hail damage, damage to your roof can impact the integrity of your home’s exterior, and it’s important to know how to best manage them.

Your roof and your siding are your critical barriers to protecting your home from environmental degradation. As a first step, your insurance adjuster and a trusted roofing contractor can help to identify roof damage. For more information, we encourage you to read our post about filing an insurance claim and selecting a trusted contractor.

It’s important to identify all of the signs of storm damage, especially if there is the possibility of structural damage to the roof trusses, rafters, or framing. You will also want to have someone assess your roofing systems, from the decking to the asphalt shingles to the type of roofing installed to the layers present. All of these factors will affect the overall roof replacement or repair process.

When your home suffers roof storm damage and it’s determined that a roof replacement is necessary, it’s important to understand what products you need. Certain products offer certain benefits, including impact-resistant shingles, fire-rated materials, high wind applications, and more. It’s also important to talk with your insurance company and contractor about potential discounts that could be available in your region.

Manufacturers have spent a lot of time engineering and refining products that offer homes better protection against storm damage. Your roofing company should be knowledgeable about these products. A good company will also be able to help you work with your insurance agent to ensure your insurance company covers any likely storm, hail, or wind damage.

Storm damage repairs can be a bit more complicated than a full replacement of a damaged roof. Working with older materials, breaking roof seals, and ensuring the roofing materials match can add concerning variables to future performance. It’s best to have a professional roofing contractor determine if your insurance company has made the appropriate considerations to replace what is ‘required’ and avoid future problems.

Thompson Home Improvement always recommends working with a local roofing company to safeguard your home’s roof. There are always a multitude of foreign companies that pop up after storms. These companies make a living by preying on a consumer base that is reeling from severe storms and roof storm damage. Sadly, they will work all angles, including – but not limited to – insurance fraud, client manipulation, and empty warranties. They’re also willing to use unfamiliar, unskilled labor crews to install new roof systems.

We might not be your choice for your roofing needs, but we still encourage you to work with a local company for your roof repair. Look for someone with local references and a history in the community. When managing roof storm damage, it’s important that you don’t rush or panic. Major storms are scary, we understand, but it’s best to take your time and be meticulous.

If you have made it through the storm safely, that’s the most important thing. At Thompson Home Improvement, we offer free estimates and will help answer any and all questions you have in relation to storm damage. So, please, before you hire the first company to show up in your driveway, give us a call, let us listen to your concerns, and give us the opportunity to help.