Tips For Preparing Your Roof For Hurricane Season

Based on recent figures, wind damage produced the highest proportion of claims from 2014-2018. If you stay in Florida, you need to prepare for the annual six-month-long Atlantic hurricane season, lasting from June 1st to November 30th. Florida often finds itself threatened by intense hurricane storms due to its long coastline and southeast location. One of the greatest impacts of tropical storms and hurricanes is its winds, which have the force to easily destroy homes, buildings, and trees. Simply put, preparing for hurricane season means you should be preparing your roof. Here are some preventative measures to take to minimize hurricane damage.

Clean Roof Gutters

The first simple step is to clean your roof gutters. People often don’t realize how unobstructed gutters can save them significant damage during a hurricane. Whenever the gutters are cluttered and obstructed, water will accumulate and cause problems, such as leaks and collapses. Essentially, the structural foundation of your home will be greatly weakened by waterlogging issues. It is highly recommended to clear your gutters of debris or dirt at least once a year, or at least before the hurricane season hits.

Inspect for Missing Shingles

It is also important to monitor the overall structure of your roof by checking for missing or cracked shingles. These should be replaced promptly before the issue manifests and becomes too widespread. While several missing or spoilt shingles are not a big deal, their compounded effects may be more damaging when strong winds up to 100 miles per hour hit. A respectable roof company can help you fix this very easily.

Check Attic for Leaks

Roof leaks are often missed until they become extensive problems. If possible, try to identify potential areas that may leak or any weak links in the structural integrity of your roof that you can quickly address pre-emptively. If you don’t do so, it is highly likely that any resultant property damage will be more severe and difficult to repair.

Treat Algae or Mold Problems

It is expected that the presence of prolonged, accumulated water on your roof will produce mold or mildew growth. These can carry serious health problems, such as fungal infections, difficulty breathing, or rash. Use algaecides to remove any problematic algae growth and conduct deep pressure washing to remove any residual moldy spots.

Get a Roof Inspection Before Season Starts

Part of roof maintenance ideally requires you to get a roof inspection before the hurricane season. Experts will be well-trained to identify any budding issues to resolve before they cause serious problems. It may also give you peace of mind that your roof is fortified, durable, and able to withstand winds from, at least, the less-severe hurricanes.

Overall, depending on your insurance policy and its fine print, you may sometimes be forced to pay for some of the materials or repairs out of your own pocket. To prevent this problem, you may want to consider supplementary coverage or increase your policy limits. Start by making an inventory of critical assets, noting their cost and purchase date. Public adjusters from Stone Claims Group are ready to tackle your insurance claim. Since 2015, the group has successfully represented over 370 hurricane and flooding events in Florida alone.

REQUEST PROPOSAL






    Notes (optional): "Please feel free to address anything else (your title, number of buildings, number of stories, number of units, etc.)"