Protect Your Home: Understanding and Addressing Storm Damage

Texas weather brings thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes, and snowstorms to bear each year. Many Texans will need roof repairs or replacements by the end of the year. Here’s how to handle storm damage.

9 Steps to Safely Handle Storm Damage

Focus on safety first. If your home undergoes severe damage, get outside and proceed to the nearest safe shelter or hotel. If the storm does slight to moderate damage, proceed through the following steps:

1. Quickly assess the damage and document it. Take photos or videos of the damaged areas and damaged items.
2. Phone your insurer or insurance agent to report the damage and file a claim.
3. Make temporary repairs like nailing up plywood or hanging a tarp to block further damage. Do not throw away any damaged items at this time.
4. Gather items you’ll need and head to a shelter or hotel if your home does not provide a safe place to stay.
5. Call your mortgage lender/servicer to report the damage.
6. Do not make permanent repairs until the insurance adjuster visits the home and officially documents the damage.
7. Meet with the insurance adjuster and show the adjuster the damage.
8. Obtain repair quotes.
9. Choose your construction professional and make repairs.

In and around Hutto, TX, call The Rooferees.

Sloped Roof Damage

Most American homes feature sloped roofs, and Texas storms do six types of damage to them. Walk the interior and exterior perimeter of your home after a storm to look for the following:

• Granule loss on asphalt shingles or architectural shingles
• Blistered shingles
• Broken or missing shingles
• Flashing damage around the chimney or vents
• Dented metal panels or shingles
• Water stains on the interior.

If you notice a leak inside the home, place a bucket under it and patch the ceiling. Place a tarp on the roof over the leak, if possible, to prevent further damage.

Flat Roof Damage

Commercial buildings in the U.S. often feature flat roofs of built-up roofing (BUP), bitumen, Thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO), or Polyvinyl chloride (PVC). According to This Old House, six types of damage most frequently occur to flat roofs, including:

• Blistered roofing material
• Cracked roofing materials
• Leaks
• Water stains
• Missing roofing materials
• Ponding water.

Water ponding on the roof can cause the roof to collapse. If you spot standing water on your flat roof, clear it off by standing on a ladder and pushing it off of the roof using a long-handled squeegee.

Contact The Rooferees

At The Rooferees of Hutto, TX, we have more than 15 years of experience, high-quality materials, and talented, empathetic professional roofers on our team. Call us when you need commercial or residential roofing repairs or replacements due to storm damage.