When it comes to defending your home, nothing beats the protection that your roof provides. It offers refuge from the most catastrophic natural calamities, sheltering you and your personal belongings.

Roofs are created to withstand and survive extreme weather conditions. But over time, your roof may get damaged, especially after facing and being bombarded by countless storms, hail, strong winds, and debris. Unfortunately, detecting roof damage isn’t that simple and straightforward.

As a homeowner, it’s critical to detect roof damage as soon as possible in order to restore your home’s comfort and safety conditions. In addition, you’ll be able to prevent water from entering your home, which could have a negative impact on the interior and structure.

If there have been storms recently in your area, this is the right time to assess your roof for potential damage and take the appropriate action if necessary. If you don’t know what to do, you may follow the tips below. Otherwise, you may immediately contact a professional provider, such as Mend Roofing, to repair and restore your roof.

1. Inspect Your Roof From The Ground

After the storm and when it’s safe to go outside again, assess your roofing from the ground as much as you can. If there’s severe damage, you’ll be able to spot it easily without going up. Look for missing or loose roof shingles, damaged chimneys, and pulled-up metal roofing.

Serious roof damage is easy to see. However, if you don’t see one immediately, it doesn’t mean that your roof is free from damage. Some impairments are just too difficult to see from below.

2. Check Your Gutters

Checking your gutters after a storm is important. If you ignore any damage therein, more problems concerning the safety of your home may ensue. These include mold growth, moisture buildup, and water infiltration.

For this reason, get a durable and sturdy staircase, check your gutter, and assess its condition. Look for potential damage, such as disjointed drainage pipelines and loose hangers. Also, don’t forget to inspect the insides for possible roof damage.

In addition, there are instances when the granules of your shingles are washed down onto your gutters. Look for them, and if you find some, your best bet would be to call for a professional evaluation. You may also call your home insurance provider to help you cover some serious expenses.

3. Inspect Your Ceiling And Attic

In some cases, you may not find any damage to your roof if you look at it from the ground. But checking your home’s interior may tell a different story. After or during a storm, go to your attic and look for potential damage.

Significantly, one of the most important things you shouldn’t miss is leakage. They’re a sign of roof damage. And if they’re not taken care of right away, you may have to face serious maintenance bills later on.

4. Check The Rest Of Your Home

After inspecting your external roofing, ceiling, and attic, check the other parts of your home for possible damage. Look for fallen or uprooted trees, disrupted power lines, destroyed fences, etc. Plus, don’t forget to check your windows for any signs of cracks, torn screens, or loose weatherstripping.

Once you have identified every damaged part of your home, explaining the problems to your contractor and asking for help from your insurance company will be a lot easier.

5. Call Your Insurance Company

Now that you know every damaged aspect of your home, it’s time to call your insurance company or your agent and file a claim. It’d be best to document your findings properly before picking up your phone. Additionally, you can take a picture or a video of every damaged area or provide some notes to fortify your claims.

When you report the damage to your insurance company, never forget to include the date and time of the calamity and any supporting weather forecasts and reports. Also, give them the names of some of your neighbors who are extremely affected by the storm.

After that, your insurance company may send their contractors to screen your home and look for damage. And if you think you didn’t get what you deserved, you may seek legal action.

Final Words

Your home’s roof provides a protective shelter that shields you from severe storms and other natural catastrophes. However, getting your roof damaged is inevitable, considering how it protects you and your family from countless weather calamities.

If this is the case, the best course of action you need to take are the steps presented above. Start by visually checking your roof’s exterior and gutters for damage. Then, climb up to your attic and inspect your ceiling for water leaks. After examining your roof, continue inspecting other areas that may be damaged.

On the other hand, don’t forget to document what you find and seek help from your insurance company. Once claims have been settled, call a professional contractor to help repair your home and restore the beauty and safety of your humble abode.