Most everyone deals with a household inconvenience or emergency in their home at some point in time. You could have electrical problems, plumbing mishaps, a major appliance breakdown, or another inconvenient problem with bad timing. One of the most annoying and frustrating issues is when your roof starts leaking and you are unable to get it fixed immediately. It could be due to a severe storm that’s in the region and you’re unable to get up on the roof to fix it, or it could be damage from a leaky area that you were unaware of and now you are left with a big hole or rotted area that’s trickling a steady stream of water. It’s also important to repair it ASAP. The longer you wait, the more damage you will sustain to your roof and the surrounding structure. Mold builds up quickly on roofs and within attics, especially if moisture sits for too long.
The first step for Voorhees residents is to contact a local Voorhees roofing company and ask them to check, then fix it. If the problem is due to bad weather you may have to wait a while before the roofers can get out to your home. During inclement weather, many homeowners experience storm damage problems and roofing companies tend to get backed up with scheduling. You may need to come up with a temporary fix until the roofers can come make professional repairs.
After you’ve contacted the roofers, use something to collect water from the leak.
If it’s in a main part of your home, such as the living room, use a bucket to collect the dripping water. This will prevent further damage to the interior of your home (ceiling not withstanding), and will also let measure the severity of the leak. Many people discover a leak because they notice water on the floor. Once you start collecting the water, you can tell how the bad the leak is based on how quickly the container fills up.
The next step is to try and find the source. This can be tricky. Since water travels quickly, the actual leak might not be directly above the stain on your ceiling. Once it’s safe to go on the roof, if feasible, walk around and look for a water damaged area, a hole, missing shingles, or damaged flashing. If storm damage has left you with a bunch of missing shingles, you can temporarily replace the shingles with a tarp or other water-resistant material. Use an adhesive strip or nails to attach the tarp. This will prevent any more water from leaking into your home.
Once you’ve secured the damaged spot(s) and prevented further leakage, promptly contact your insurance company or agent. They generally dispatch an adjuster to evaluate the damage and determine how much they’ll pay. Use this estimate when negotiating with your roofer. Some roofing companies work directly with your insurance company to handle the payments. The most important part is providing a temporary fix so that you can avoid damage and mold from standing moisture.
It’s never convenient for your roof to leak but swiftly working to correct it will minimize damage to the inside and outside of your residence. Fortified Roofing of Voorhees NJ would be happy to answer any question you have about roofing, roof repairs or skylight installation.
Term of the day, courtesy of Fortified Roofing, Voorhees NJ:
Storm damage
This is damage caused by inclement weather such as ice, excessive snow, heavy winds, rain, and hail. some types of roof damage that occur due to storms are leaks, missing shingles, roof holes, and bent or rusted flashing. damage from storms is often covered under home insurance policies.
Roofers from Voorhees NJ answer a commonly asked question:
Can my home insurance pay my roofing company?
This depends upon the type of home insurance you have, but many insurance companies will cut you a check to pay for roof damages due to a storm. You can also speak with your roofer, since some companies will work directly with your insurance company to handle estimates and payments for work completed. Most roofers will try to meet the same estimate provided by your insurance company so that you aren’t paying more for the work than what your insurance provides.
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If you would like to ask a question regarding roofers, a new roof installation, roof leak repairs, skylight options or gutters and downspouts please contact Fortified Roofing today!
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