Slate Or Ceramic Roofs
Slate tiles are heavy stone barriers which can take a lot of punishment once installed. Hail stones are still able to damage slate though, and even outright destroy tiles in some cases. The following are signs that your slate has been damaged by hail:
- Clean, sharp-edged holes are a clear sign that hail has pierced the tiles. Small punctures and cracks caused by impacts can weaken the tiles, regardless of how deep they are.
- Shattered, cracked, or otherwise destroyed tiles after a hail storm will require immediate attention to avoid structural damage from further weather.
- Chipped or broken corners and edges are often considered additional evidence of hail damage.
Can You Claim Hail Damage Twice
Yes. But there are some things to keep in mind before you make this decision. You can file as many claims as you need, but the more claims that are filed means the higher your premiums will be. One claim won’t typically affect your rates but two claims in a row may cause an increase in your premium.
Pride Roofing & Construction
We take pride in the work we do, and were not satisfied until youre satisfied. No one likes to deal with the aftermath of a storm, but our roofing company is here to make the roof repair process as easy as possible. Keep our number close and be sure to contact us in Northern Colorado after a storm.
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Is Roof Hail Damage Covered By Insurance Lets Find Out
The first question we need to answer before we can find out how much does insurance pay for hail damage on roof is Is roof hail damage covered by insurance?
And the answer to that question is most likely. You will need to check your policy to see exactly what is covered on your insurance policy because coverage tends to vary depending on a few factors. This one is just not a yes or no question You see, roof hail damage is typically covered by most standard homeowners insurance policies.
Depending on where you live, your insurance policy may be written to handle hail damage claims differently than in other areas due to a higher possibility of hail damage claims. Your coverage will also vary some depending on your insurer, and just in general, how your policy is set up.
So, lets get this out of the way easily
Here are the states that are most vulnerable to hail damage claims:
Hail Damage To Other Types Of Roofing Systems
Shingles might be the trickiest type of roof to assess for hail damage but metal, clay, and slate roofing can also be difficult.
Clay and slate roofs will usually have cracks or gouges when the stones hit, while metal roof repair will show dents from the impact of the hailstones. Particularly soft roofing systems may experience punctures from larger hailstones.
Be aware that while dents and dings will be more readily apparent on softer metal surfaces, you can use chalk to uncover damage on harder metal roofing surfaces or metal features like chimney vents just run your chalk sideways over the surface and the potential hail damage will show up more clearly.
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What Are The Signs Of Roof Hail Damage
Once the clouds have disappeared and the skies have cleared, it is vital to walk around your home and investigate any form of damage resulting from hailstones or high winds. It is worthwhile to be thorough with your roof inspection. Remember, any minor or major problems that go undetected will only worsen and become more expensive to fix as time goes on. A roofing professional will inspect the several areas and components:
1. Roof Vents, Chimneys and Skylights
First, a roof repair contractor will check your roof vents, which are often made of lightweight material, for dings, dents and chipped surfaces. Cracks on a plastic vent or dents on a metal vent are clear indications that your roof has been struck with large, heavy hail. Next, the roofer will inspect the metal flashing around the chimney and look for dents. If your roof has skylights, cracked or broken glass should also be scanned during the inspection.
2. Gutters
Do not forget to inspect the gutters. While steel gutters often survive a hailstorm event without much damage, seamless gutters made with aluminum or copper construction are likely to show symptoms of impairment, like dimpling or denting. Vinyl gutters, on the other hand, may have punctures or cracks.
3. Roof Shingles
Of course, roof shingles can also suffer great damage from hail, that is why it is crucial to call in a roofing contractor as soon as possible. However, note that each roofing material tends to absorb and react differently to hail impact.
Recent Major Hailstorms In Australia
Hailstorm damage can have a major effect on a family the physical home and the financial situation. Hailstorms occur more frequently between September and March in Australia. Sometimes these storms create large hailstones which can cause extreme damage which means extensive repairs are needed to the property.
Over a third of Australias total natural event insurance losses were caused by hail!
Cricket ball size hail dropped from the sky on 14 April 1999 in Sydney. The most sizeable hailstone measured 9cm diameter. Sydney was bombarded by hail at speeds upto 200km/hr. An estimated 500,000 tonnes of hail fell from this storm. This particular storm affected 130,000 people, damaged over 20,000 buildings & 40,000 motor vehicles. Insurance claims totalled over A$1.7 billion, but the total damage bill was estimated approximately A$2.3 billion. A state of emergency was declared by the State Government. As far as natural disasters go, this storm is still one of Australias most expensive.
$60 million in damages caused by hail in Queenslands Gold Coast in 2005.
$1.05 billion in damages caused by a catastrophic storm in Perth, Western Australia in 2010.
Another major hailstorm affected Sydney in December 2018. The damage was estimated at $798 million.
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Find A Reputable Roofing Contractor
If you didnt do this as part of the step above, now is the time.
Your best ally in a fight over roof repair will be a licensed roofing contractor, not an attorney. Make sure they have:
- A stellar reputation
- Experience dealing with insurance claims
A good roofer will help with the next few steps before repairing the roof.
Prevent Further Damage!
Most homeowners policies require you to cover the damaged roof immediately.
Did you know?Claims for secondary damage are usually denied when the necessary steps have not been taken to protect the roof.
Heres a common and unfortunate scenario:
Storm 1 blows a bunch of shingles off a roof.
Storm 2, a week later, brings wind-driven rain that gets into the unprotected home and destroys everything it touches ceilings, walls, flooring, electronics and more. This is why many homes must be gutted or demolished after hurricanes.
Bad storms damage hundreds or thousands of homes in their path. This makes it impossible for roofers to make quick repairs.
Instead, your roofing company will get the damaged areas tarped and secured to protect your home and your wallet. Once this is done, the roof should be OK until repairs can be made.
The Insurance Process Is Muddy And Confusing
Both the roofing industry and the insurance industry dont have the best reputation. The unfortunate truth is that there are a lot of roofing and insurance companies who don’t necessarily have your best interest in mind.
Thats why we like to say the insurance process can be muddy and confusing. Some companies use this to their advantage and scam homeowners who are desperate to get their roof problem taken care of.
Thats not to say that all roofing or insurance companies are out to take advantage of you. All Im trying to do is let you know that there are people on both sides who unfortunately try to take advantage of people in a stressful situation.
Understanding this from the beginning helps you be aware to ensure something like this doesnt happen to you.
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Repairing A Hail Damaged Roof
Now that you understand how hail can damage your roof and what to look for during an inspection, how can you fix it? Unless you decide to do it yourself, you will likely want to contact a trusted roofing company to complete repairs.
Often, repairing a hail damaged roof is more of a replacement process. The question is whether or not you need to replace a portion of your roof or the entire thing.
While trying to patch up damaged shingles is never a good idea, you may be able to simply replace a section of the damaged shingles with new ones. However, a 10 square foot space with 20 or more damage spots often calls for a completely new roof.
An average new roof in Chicagoland can cost anywhere from $15,000 to $30,000 for the whole project. This obviously depends on the square footage of your roof, the material of the shingles, and how much of it you need to replace. To break that down, youll likely pay about $5.50 to $8.50 per square foot to replace your asphalt/fiberglass roof.
That said, your coverage will definitely vary by policy and the state you live in. Pay attention to the details of your coverage and your local laws. Your insurance may have a statute of limitations that is different from the norm. Otherwise, the money you get from your payout may be applied to repairs in different ways. You will also probably need to provide documentation about the repair job, such as an invoice and/or proof that the repairs were completed.
Finding Evidence Of Roofing Hail Damage Inside Your Home
Not everything related to hail damage is on the outside there are a variety of things that you may notice inside your home that might not appear to be related at first.
If you notice things like new water stains on the ceiling or interior walls, discolored walls, water stains in or around light fixtures, water stains in closets, mold or mildew on the walls, water seepage in the attic, wet insulation, or similar issues, then you need to check out the roof as well.
This goes doubly important if you begin to notice these things soon after a major hailstorm or heavy storm.
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Ways To Mitigate The Impact Of Hail Before The Next Storm
While it is urgent to repair hail damage as soon as possible, it is even better to prevent this kind of damage from happening in the first place. Property owners can take a number of actions to strengthen their buildings from the next hail storm, including:
- Choosing the right building materials. There are many different types of shingles and roof coverings, and some are better suited to resisting or absorbing the impact of hail stones. Selecting tougher roofing materials may cost more up front, but can lower the cost to insure the structure and save money in the long run.
- Selecting weather barriers. Wind is the driving force behind hailstones, and careful positioning of the structures around your building can create natural barriers. Trees, fences, adjacent buildings, and high walls can all act as breakers to defend your roof from damage.
- Performing regular inspections. Insurers often attempt to deny claims after storms by stating that the roof was in disrepair before the adverse weather event took place. By performing an inspection of the structure every few years, policyholders can have documentation that the shingles, flashing, and underlying structures are in good condition before a storm hits.
How Long Will It Take To Replace Your Roof
Once you have all the information and everything is approved by your insurance company, they will release payment for replacing your roofing system which can take up to 30 days depending on how much work needs to be done.
The contractor who issued your policy should fill out an affidavit form that states the work can begin on your roofing replacement.
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How To Spot Hail Damage
Identifying hail damage to your car is relatively easy look for dings on your roof and hood. However, inspecting a roof for hail damage is much more difficult. Learn how to do a self-inspection after a storm, and if you believe you have suffered hail damage to your roof, contact Pride Roofing & Construction in Northern Colorado.
How Does Hail Damage A Roof
Hail damages a roof in two main ways:
- it destroys the surface
- weakens it to cause a leak
Damages can appear as dents in the roofing shingles or tiles that sit on top of your homes framing structure. These are called laths which are the vertical supports of your roof.Hail causes many types of surface damages, including dents, punctures, and cracking.
Several factors can affect how severe these issues are:
- Size and speed of the hailstones
- The location where they hit on your roof
- How old your homes shingles/tiles are
- The type of shingles or tiles
If you have a newer roof built with a tiled rooftop, there will be more protection than in older homes. For example, homes that use asphalt shingles may experience more damage.A general rule is that if less than half the total area has significant damage, youll need to consult an expert. Ideally, you want someone who is a licensed contractor specializing in roofing restoration work.Living in an area where hail storms happen pretty often can give you some ideas or warning signs before one hits. It can be as apparent as dark storm clouds gathering overhead or heavy rain falling from the sky without the wind blowing.
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Roof Hail Damage Repair Cost
Roof hail damage repair cost can vary depending on several different factors. The size, shape, and incline of your roof are some of the things that may get factored into the price, but for the most part, the repairs will be gauged by how much work has to be done. A simple repair to part of your roof, or even one side of your roof will essentially cost less than a full roof replacement.
For asphalt roofs, you can expect to pay between $400 and $700 per square for repairs, and between $5,000 and $20,000 for full roof replacement due to wind or hail damage. We have an article on metal roof cost in Minneapolis here that you can read if your metal roof has been damaged, that will break down replacement costs for the different types of metal roofs.
In the case that you do find damages on your roof, this next section will offer some tips on roof hail damage insurance claims.
How To Determine Hail Damage To Shingles
When looking to determine hail damage on shingles, first look at the color of the roof. If it is brown or black, then there are a few reasons why that may be but one of them is most likely hailstorms.If youve ever seen hailstones up close before, chances are they were pretty big and hard as ice when they hit your roof.So what kind of damage does hail cause to roofs in general?For starters: High winds will likely allow any small holes created by smaller pieces of hail through which rain can penetrate a buildings interior. Larger pieces could create significant holes.
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How Fast Does Hail Fall
No one knows the exact rate at which hailstones fall. After all, the speed of each hailstone plummeting to the ground is unique based on its dimensions. However, experts have introduced helpful estimates. For example, for small hailstones, which are less than one inch in diameter, the anticipated speed of fall is between nine and 25 mph. On the other hand, hailstones typically found in a severe thunderstorm, which general measurements are one to 1.75 inches in diameter, are expected to fall at between 25 to 40 mph.
About Depreciation Will The Age Of My Roof Matter
we wanted to discuss this topic because we know a lot of homeowners are wondering this when they file their roof damage insurance claims, in a word, the answer is yes.
The age of your roof on some insurance policies will be a determining factor in the amount you get when you file a claim. The reason for that is the fact that hail damage claims cost so much money for insurance companies, many insurers have begun to offer two different types of coverage: Actual Cash Value and Replacement Cost Value
According to the Mutual Benefit Group, and weve seen it a few times ourselves, homeowners were getting caught off guard getting caught off guard by these two different types of coverage and not having enough money at the time that they need the repairs because of it. Below, we have to find both types of coverage, so you can understand exactly what they are and make the right decisions when you get your insurance coverage and you see one of them mentioned in your policy.
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How Do I Get Homeowners Insurance To Pay For A New Roof
When a policy becomes active, most insurance companies will send out an adjuster. Theyll make a special note of the roofs age and quality.
Older roofs may only be covered at their actual cash value. Those older than 20 years will be required to pass an inspection.
Insurance companies themselves are the best source to provide this answer, and specifics can be found by logging into the company website.
Cracked Split Or Curved Shingles
In order to crack or split your shingles, large hail has to strike your roof fairly hard. However, the integrity of your roof also depends on your shingle material.
If cracked, this type of hail damage could cause leaks and weaken the overall integrity of your roof.
In some cases, high impact hail or strong winds will bend your shingles upward on one corner. Water can then seep underneath the shingle and cause leaks and rot over time.
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