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Should your insurance company replace or repair part of your roof?

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Should your insurance company replace or repair part of your roof?

 

If your home has been subject to damage due to a hurricane or major storm, you may be wondering what you can do about your insurance claim. One of the most common types of insurance claims that occurs after a hurricane is the need for roof repairs or replacement. Tropical storms and hurricanes in Florida can continually cause extreme amounts of damage to any home and understanding if you are covered can really help to give you confidence if you live in an area where you may be at risk for storms.

After any type of major storm damage, you will need to get roof repairs or roof replacement as soon as you can if necessary. If you wait a longer amount of time there’s a good chance that there could be some additional damage caused to your roof. If repairs are not completed quickly and you only complete a small patch job on your roof, there could be a number of large problems associated with your roofing system later on.

A common question that many homeowners face is whether they should completely replace the roof or perform quick repairs after hurricane damage has occurred. One of the easiest ways to answer this question is to follow the contractor’s 25% rule. If around 25% of your roofing system has brittle shingles or it has experienced some type of shingle loss, you should highly consider a full roof replacement. 

Your Local Building Codes

In the state of Florida as well as throughout many states that have a hurricane and tropical storm risk, the 25% rule remains one of the best frames of reference for insurance companies. Roofing companies will not generally repair more than 25% of the total roof area within a year as this is a direct violation of the building code for the state.

Roof damage often goes beyond a 25% threshold when a catastrophic accident occurs like a tree falling on the home or a series of high winds. If your home has been affected by storm damage it’s always wise to get a professional inspection done so that the nature of the damage can be properly assessed. A professional inspector will be able to complete a test on your shingles and check over the totality of your roof structure to see the full scale of the damage.

Shingle Tests

Roofing inspectors will also complete a test on some of the shingles that remain on your roofing structure. A shingle can often bend up to a 90° angle but if the shingle breaks due to it being damaged in a storm or losing some of its granules, there’s a chance that it needs to be completely replaced. Performing a shingle test could be another factor that could dictate you need a complete roof replacement. If the remaining shingles on your roof needs to be replaced after a storm anyways, your roofing contractor may recommend this course of action.

Granular Loss of Shingles

As the granules in your shingles will continue to shed, this process can be sped up when your home is regularly exposed to high winds and inclement weather. Shingle granule loss generally occurs  at around a 3% loss each year. If you experience a major storm or an event that had hail, this can speed up shingle loss by up to 40% on the year.

Even if your roof was not impacted by anything or heavily affected by high winds, the damage on your roof can be spotted quickly. The accelerated nature of aging on your roof might be considered a loss and is covered under your insurance policy. After a professional roofing inspection, your insurance company may also recognize that the 12 years of lifespan you had left on your roof may only equate to seven after you experience storm damage. 

Bruising of Your Shingles

During extreme weather events, it’s not uncommon to experience damage due to hail. When hail impacts asphalt surfaces this can severely impact the granules on your roof. Shingle granules are usually a circular shape and they can quickly fall off when the matte surface that holds them is damaged as well. Damage to the shingle mats will lead to the granules coming off much faster as well as the shingle pooling water over time. A bruised shingle will need to be replaced quickly as a damaged shingle can completely change the way that water moves and pools across your roof.

Make sure you are working with an experienced hurricane insurance claims adjuster:

As all determinations in a hurricane insurance policy can be quite a subjective process, It’s important that you’re working with the right insurance company. Working with an experienced adjuster will ensure you can receive speedy compensation. If you are not sure if the insurance company should repair or replace your roof then contact us today for a free consultation!

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