The last thing anyone ever wants to see is a hole in their roof. Whether it be sunshine, rain, or snow peaking through the hole, it’s a telltale sign that there’s a huge problem with your residential roof. In this emergency situation, it’s important that you take the necessary steps to protect yourself and your house. That’s why, in this article, Quality Roofing Pro is going to explain what to do if you need emergency repairs on your residential roof.
Key Takeaways:
If you are facing an emergency roofing situation on your home, there are several steps that you need to take to get it repaired quickly.
- The first thing that you should always do is prioritize your safety. This means avoiding the damaged areas of your roof if they are unsafe and could potentially harm you.
- While you are in a safe location, you should assess the damage done to the roof. It should be evident from the ground, and you should not climb onto the roof to look at it.
- You need to contact a roofing company to come to work on your roof. While it is an emergency, you should still take the time to make sure that you contact a reputable roofing contractor.
- You should put up temporary protective measures while waiting to prevent further damage from occurring on your roof. If it is safe, you can put a tarp up over the damage, but if not you should place buckets where rain may fall into your home.
- You also need to get in contact with your insurance company. They will most likely provide coverage, so it is important that you contact them quickly.
- One way to avoid damage is to have regular maintenance done on your home. This will prevent typical wear and tear from occurring, and it will lengthen the lifespan of your home.
Prioritize Safety
When a roof is damaged, it should be considered an emergency if the attic or interior of your home is exposed to the elements. If this occurs, it is important that you prioritize your safety and the safety of your family. This means that you should move your family away from the affected area, and if it is leaking you should place buckets underneath the area so the water doesn’t damage the rest of the house. Additionally, if the damage is bad enough that your home could be considered structurally unsound, then you and your family should evacuate immediately. Your top priority should always be the safety of yourself and your family, do not attempt to work on the roof if it is dangerous.
Assess the Damage
Once you have gotten yourself and your family into a safe location, you should begin to assess the damage done to your home. This does not mean that you should climb on your roof and try to get up close and personal, but rather you need to assess it from a safe distance. To do this properly, you should assess the damage from the ground. You should look for any missing shingles, sagging or leaning sections, or debris.
Any damage that you find, you should properly document it for your insurance agency. You can document the damages by either taking photographs or videos of the damage. This will be important when you have to later file a claim later because it is the evidence that you will provide to the insurance agency. But don’t forget, that even while you are documenting the damage, you should always prioritize your own safety.
Contact Roofing Contractor
In an emergency roofing situation, it is important that you contact a roofing contractor as soon as possible. Many roof repair companies will have twenty-four-hour repair services available if there is an emergency, you should contact one of them to come to your home. While it is important that you get a roofing contractor to come quickly, it is still important to do the proper research on them.
This type of research can include ensuring they are a reputable and trustworthy roofing company. This means that you should look at online reviews and unbiased third-party websites to see what the community is saying about them. Once you have done the appropriate research, you should call the roofing company and set up a time for them to come over.
Put Up Temporary Protective Measures
While you are waiting for the roofing company to repair your roof, consider putting up temporary protective measures. While you are doing this, you should remember that your safety should always be the top priority. If it is safe enough, consider placing a tarp on your roof to prevent the elements from coming into your home.
If it is not possible to place a tarp on the roof because of safety concerns, you should still attempt to prevent any issues that could come from water damage. This means that you should place buckets underneath any areas with leaks. Additionally, if you have a dehumidifier, you should have it running to help prevent water damage. Putting up temporary protective measures will help prevent the damage from worsening and further escalating the number of repairs that you’ll need.
Contact Insurance Company
A crucial step in this process is to contact your insurance agency because you’ll want to make sure that you get the proper coverage. Your insurance agency will most likely cover damages that have occurred to your roof because of an emergency, so it is crucial that you contact them quickly.
When you contact your insurance company, you will want to make sure that you have the right documents present. This includes the photos and videos you took of the damage plus a detailed and accurate description of the event that caused the damage to take place. Your insurance agency will want to look over them to ensure that they are providing adequate coverage for the damage that has taken place. It is essential that you contact your insurance agency quickly and efficiently so that they will help cover the cost of the damages on your residential roof.
Regular Maintenance
While there is no way to completely stop an emergency situation from occurring on your roof, there are preventative measures that can be taken. One way to do this is to provide proper roof maintenance for your roof. This can include:
- Cleaning your gutters,
- Trimming trees to avoid limbs falling on your home,
- Addressing water damage as soon as it appears, and
- Having regular roof inspections.
If you do this, it will help prevent wear and tear from appearing on your roof. This will allow it to have a longer life, and it can prevent emergency situations from occurring. You should have regular maintenance done to your residential roof, so the likelihood of an emergency situation becomes less probable.
At Quality Roofing Pro, we understand that not everything can be controlled, but we’re here to help. Our team has over 100 years of experience between them, making us knowledgeable experienced professionals who know how to protect your home. If you ever have any roofing problems, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’re here to help! Our number one priority is making sure that you have a roof you’re happy with no matter what. So don’t hesitate to reach out, our number is (309)371-4436 or visit our website at https://www.qualityroofingpro.com/.
