Storm Damaged Roof in Grand Prairie
Because you spend a lot of money every year on homeowners insurance, you should be in a position to know what is really covered and what you can do if you have problems with your insurance company such as denials and delay. You may have a lot more leverage than you think. In truth, there are many ways in which your home can be damaged and in spite of the more obvious factors like storm damage roof in Grand Prairie, there are also other factors such as water damage, vandalism and damage from your sewer system. It is also useful to remember that in many cases, coverage for your home is provided as "all-risk" coverage which means that any damage from any risk is covered unless it has been specifically excluded.
Most damage under a homeowner's policy, including storm damage to your roof is covered for replacement cost, which means that the insurance company has actually promised to replace your roof, regardless of age or expense if it has been damaged. In other words, you may have a shingle roof which is 20 years old, but is in good shape until it has been damaged by a storm. The policy provides for complete replacement of the roof without deducting any depreciation. There is no need to feel guilty for claiming the entire replacement cost of an older roof because this is the insurance for which you have paid.
If you believe that your roof may have been damaged by high winds or hailstorms, you should have it examined immediately by a professional roofing company. It is possible to sustain substantial damage to tiles and shingles on your house even if you do not find signs of them around the house. Seen from the ground, roofs may look fine from that angle even if there has been a fair amount of damage. Shingles have a sealing strip between them which can break during the storm and the shingles simply go back into place looking completely untouched. The sealing strip is important to the functioning of the roof and if it is damaged, the roof may have to be replaced. Similarly, the tiles on the tiled roof system serve a decorative purpose and the real protection is in the underlayment, which is the paper. If this is compromised in any fashion, water may seek through the roof and damage the interior of the house.
Similarly, if your home has been through a hailstorm, the roof should be examined by an expert. Some forms of damage are easy to see such as holes in your pool screen or dents in the metal on the roof. Just as damaging is damage from hail which can only be seen at close quarters. The impact of hail can cause roof shingles to become degranulated thus affecting the integrity and a significant shortening of useful life. All these conditions justify roof replacement under your homeowners insurance policy. You should be satisfied in the choice of roofing contractor before allowing him to inspect storm damage. He will normally use a camera or video camera to prepare evidence of damage. In certain states, if 25% of the roof needs to be replaced, the insurance company is required to pay for replacement of the entire roof.
Most damage under a homeowner's policy, including storm damage to your roof is covered for replacement cost, which means that the insurance company has actually promised to replace your roof, regardless of age or expense if it has been damaged. In other words, you may have a shingle roof which is 20 years old, but is in good shape until it has been damaged by a storm. The policy provides for complete replacement of the roof without deducting any depreciation. There is no need to feel guilty for claiming the entire replacement cost of an older roof because this is the insurance for which you have paid.
If you believe that your roof may have been damaged by high winds or hailstorms, you should have it examined immediately by a professional roofing company. It is possible to sustain substantial damage to tiles and shingles on your house even if you do not find signs of them around the house. Seen from the ground, roofs may look fine from that angle even if there has been a fair amount of damage. Shingles have a sealing strip between them which can break during the storm and the shingles simply go back into place looking completely untouched. The sealing strip is important to the functioning of the roof and if it is damaged, the roof may have to be replaced. Similarly, the tiles on the tiled roof system serve a decorative purpose and the real protection is in the underlayment, which is the paper. If this is compromised in any fashion, water may seek through the roof and damage the interior of the house.
Similarly, if your home has been through a hailstorm, the roof should be examined by an expert. Some forms of damage are easy to see such as holes in your pool screen or dents in the metal on the roof. Just as damaging is damage from hail which can only be seen at close quarters. The impact of hail can cause roof shingles to become degranulated thus affecting the integrity and a significant shortening of useful life. All these conditions justify roof replacement under your homeowners insurance policy. You should be satisfied in the choice of roofing contractor before allowing him to inspect storm damage. He will normally use a camera or video camera to prepare evidence of damage. In certain states, if 25% of the roof needs to be replaced, the insurance company is required to pay for replacement of the entire roof.