If your home has sustained damage from recent storms, get in touch with our team for a free inspection. We have over 20 years of experience inspecting storm damage and dealing with insurance companies in the greater Twin Cities metro area.
Our team can help you through every stage of the storm repair or roof replacement process, from the initial consultation through the fine details of submitting an insurance claim, choosing material, and getting the project done on time and on budget.
While storm damage is a concern every US homeowner has, Minnesota is particularly prone to severe thunderstorms which can produce hail and high winds. Additionally, Minnesota sees 29 Tornados on average per year.
Despite its short duration, a hailstorm can still create damage to your roof. It may knock shingle granules loose, create pockmarks, and leave dents. Left unchecked hail damage can create further damage and lead to water seepage. Even if your asphalt shingle roof is brand new, a bad hail storm can cause enough damage that warrants a replacement.
Gale-winds (39 to 54 mph) can damage your roof deck, shingles, waterproofing material, or underlayment. Even weaker winds can lift or curl roof shingles, if they’re sharp enough. Because of the way the shingles are laid overlapped, they create a water-right seal. When they’re lifted by strong winds, it may break the seal and cause your roof to be more likely to sustain further damage.
If your drainage is not appropriate, you may find that your roof can sustain damage from standing water. Backed up water can also be due to clogged up rain gutters, which, in turn, gets underneath your shingles and damages the underlayment of your roof. If left unchecked this can eventually lead to rot and ceiling leaks.
When a storm produces strong winds debris goes flying, oftentimes ending up on your roof – small rocks, sticks, or even large tree branches. Suffice it to say that the bigger or heavier debris can cause dents in your roof, or even cracks. In time, that’s going to make your roof more vulnerable.
Damaged shingles need to be addressed before they break completely. If you’ve got shingles that are missing, that leaves a gap in your roof where the wind and the moisture can penetrate and damage your roof even further. In some cases roof damaged is localized and we can make small repairs, but in most cases the damage is spread over the whole roof and a whole roof replacement is made.
Your siding can also incur a lot of damage during a storm, and the way siding is damaged depends largely on the material. Wood warps, cracks, or even rots. Aluminum dents and vinyl can end up with holes or chips, especially during hailstorms. Keep in mind that any damage should be looked at, even if it only appears to be cosmetic your insurance company may reimburse you for a claim on the damage. Additionally, what looks like surface level damage can lead to deeper damage.
For vinyl or wood siding, you have to be on the lookout for a lot of surface-level damage that does not look important, at first glance:
Peeling is one of the first signs of damage, and it usually indicates trapped moisture. Splitting and cracking can often be encountered in wood siding, as well as chipping. It’s typically not more than a small chunk, probably around the bottom portion of the siding panel ridge.
Broken pieces of siding and even holes are usually caused by hailstorms. Wind can also be severe enough to lift and break your siding, especially if it is older or not installed properly. If it gets to this level of damage, your siding is no longer an effective protective layer, and needs to be replaced.
Aluminum siding can provide you with prolonged durability, but that doesn’t mean it cannot sustain damage.
Dents and other small dings can be a result of hailstorms or even strong winds that carry debris. Small dents can lead to bigger fissures, cracks, and ultimately breaks in your aluminum siding. If the damage is very severe, you can even have displaced siding that’s simply ripped off by the wind.
Flat roofs are less favored in Minnesota because, as you can imagine, the water and snow accumulates on a flat roof if there is no incline. Damage can be avoided with the use of the right waterproof materials, but it’s not the preferred style of roofing, by any means. Still, it can be done and is desirable on modern geometrically designed homes.
The quicker that siding damage gets repaired, the more effective you are at preventing more damage and keeping costs down.
But before you file a claim, you should need to have an experienced exterior contractor come over to inspect your home and if required provide you with an estimate for repairs. Compass Exteriors is at your service and can provide you with a timely and accurate estimate.
We have over 20 years of experience dealing with storm damage and insurance claims in the Twin Cities metro area. Our team provides professional, responsive, affordable, and reliable service. Call us today to schedule a free, no obligation inspection of your storm damaged property.
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