Holy, hold on to your hats, Batman! A major blow just came through and now it’s time to assess the damage. But we are not all caped crusaders that have all kinds of gadgets that can clear any obstacle in our path. Now, there’s the insurance company. We all hate to deal with insurance companies and adjusters, but did you know that your roofing company can be your Batman and deal with that for you? They can be your front man so-to-speak.
You have to call a roofing company anyway to emergency tarp your house. A good roofing company can take the burden of post-hurricane season inspections from you. They can arrange for the inspector, and negotiate with your insurance company being the mediator between you and them for what is most often a confusing, stressful process since your roof already blew away.
Often you may want to assess the damage yourself. Here’s what to look for:
– First things first, go from the top and work your way down. Inspect your roof first. Using binoculars if needed, look for anything that may be loose or missing. Carefully inspect intersection points where two levels of the roof meet, around the chimney, vent stacks. If you see any damage, roofing cement and other materials can give you a temporary fix but the shingles will need to be replaced for a permanent fix.
– Check your home’s dryer, boiler, and furnace vents. Make sure that they are free of obstructions and open and close easily. Use a flashlight and get a good look down there!
– Make sure your home’s electrical panel is free of dirt and debris. Look for where the electricity comes into the house. Is it on a pole? Is the pole leaning? Are the wires sagging? If so, hey baby, you’ve got issues. Call an electrician.
– While you’re doing your inspection, make sure that you check out your air conditioning unit! Make sure that there has been no damage and is free of debris before you use it again.
– Loose gutters and downspouts can be a huge hazard. Make sure yours are attached firmly. A loose one can easily break a window by swinging in the wind. How about those shutters? Are they on tight?
– Got a fence? Make sure you walk your fence perimeter, pushing against it every so often for signs of weakness or instability. Also, check any lattice or other decorative features for signs of damage.
– Last but certainly not least, check your trees. Large trees are a huge hazard. A storm-weakened limb could break and fall anytime so consulting a licensed arborist is an excellent idea.
There are so many things you could look for. This is not an all-inclusive list by any means but it will give you a very good start. There’s also the roofing company option for those that don’t want to deal with all the grief. Get your home inspected today. An inspection today could save an accident from happening later!