To a residential insurance policy business, the roof is the most crucial component of your residence. In more than 90 percent of hailstorm or high-wind cases, there is a payment family member to the roofing cover, according to the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety.
Figuring out that your roof covering has to be replaced or fixed can be bothersome for lots of home owners. Taking care of insurance policy cases, speaking with insurance adjusters and seeking compensation for all covered problems is a complicated procedure. Several home owners are just unclear how to file a claim, where the procedure can be troublesome, what sorts of paperwork they require, or what to anticipate. We’ll try to help in this article by offering some roofing insurance claim tips.
Some policies will use roofing damage coverage up to the depreciated worth, no matter the age of your roof covering. Other plans will cover the price of repair or replacement at the time of the insurance claim, despite the age .
The most critical thing to understand is what’s covered and what’s not. This is done by calling your insurance policy service provider.
If your roofing system is less than 10 years old, you may be covered entirely for the expense of fixing or replacing the damaged area at the time of the claim. If your roof covering is more than 10 years old, you may only receive compensation for the depreciated value of the damage.
To simplify the claims procedure and help in getting the appropriate compensation for your loss, take a collection of “past” pictures of your roof covering as well as outside your residential or commercial property. Having all of these details on file will help make your claims procedure problem-free and as smooth as possible.
Look for roof repair contractors with experience in supplying roofing system estimates for insurance policy cases and also assisting customers navigate the procedure of obtaining their roof repair service to be covered by their insurance policy company.
If your roofing system has been damaged, you should get an evaluation by a roofing contractor as soon as possible. Figure out the degree of the damages immediately. This will help accelerate the claim and help prevent more issues that wouldn’t be covered under your plan.
Your professional roofing contractor should help you navigate your claim with your roofing company’s procedures. Look for service providers with experience in offering roof covering estimates and insurance coverage cases.
While they do have their perks, flat roofs have design and installation factors that can play into damages and performance issues. In the long run, you may end up with a shorter roof lifespan than you expect – here are a few tips for issues you should consider.
Among all issues a flat roof can experience, this is the most frequent by far. Usually caused by unnoticed ponding water after rainfall, only 48 hours are needed before leaks start becoming apparent. You should check for moisture buildup around seams and flashings around your roof. Clogged drains, chimneys, and skylights are also places where you’ll want to watch for moisture buildup. If any water gets under the membrane and into the sheathing of your roof, there’s a chance rot and mold will quickly start to grow.
A common problem for EPDM membranes is shrinkage – when rubber shrinks, it can pull down other objects like parapet walls or chimneys! This is more likely to occur on a large building or on a building where the membrane was not properly secured and installed. Keep your eyes out for signs of discoloration along with signs of shrinkage to spot problems before they get out of hand.
The last major issue that commonly affects flat roofs and flat roof decking is caused by heavy foot traffic. Often done by HVAC contractors and other visitors who go on the roof, damage can be caused by dropping tools, tripping on fasteners, or otherwise puncturing the membrane and allowing moisture inside. After a company has been on the roof, be sure to inspect for any signs of punctures or other damages.
Tile roofing is most commonly installed on Southwest and Mediterranean-style homes. These aesthetically pleasing tiles are generally made of clay, concrete, or slate.
However, the benefits of a tile roof are more than just good looks; choosing the right tile can help improve the house's value and help when you sell your house.
Familiarize yourself with the selling points that make them such popular roofing options. Weigh those strengths against key factors to decide whether or not your home can benefit from a tile roof. You
(See our tile innovations post)
Clay, concrete, and slate roofs are extremely resistant to fire and resist rot, bugs, and most other pests. Most tile roofing will hold up to extreme heat and cold, making it great for use in almost any climate. Usually, the underlayment needs to be replaced every 20 years. This is how underlayment is replaced.
Clay tiles are especially resistant to corrosion from the salty air, which makes them an excellent choice for properties located in coastal areas.
Many kinds of roofing tiles can also brag of superior impact resistance, which makes them a superior option in areas that experience severe storms with hail or high winds.
Most tile roofs are found in the warmer regions of our country, but they can be utilized in colder areas, too.
When you’re installing a clay or concrete tile roof in a region with a colder climate, however, you should require materials designed to handle the expansion that occurs with freezing and thawing cycles.
Quite frankly, people are the biggest threat to tile roofs. The tiles are not typically designed to handle foot traffic and are prone to be being broken or chipped when people walk on them and are careless.
This is why it's important to hire an experienced, professional roofing contractor to do any repairs or maintenance on or around a tile roof – including cleaning gutters, maintaining chimney and other protrusion flashing, and routine regular inspections.
A roof made of concrete, clay, or slate could be the last roof you will ever need on your home. Clay or slate tiles can last as long as 100 years, while most concrete tile comes with a 50-year warranty.
Slate is one of the most durable and long-lasting roofing materials of all, with a lifespan of 100 to 150 years or more.
Concrete and clay tiles usually feature natural earth tones, a sand-cast or unglazed finish, and a classic curved shape.
However, their design isn’t limited to just these Southwestern and Mediterranean benchmarks. Their casting allows for a lot of different style options which will suit just about any type of architectural taste.
Both concrete and clay tiles come in a large array of colors and can have glazed or unglazed finishes. The most common shapes are flat, fluted, and interlocking which can be used in a wide variety of home designs.
Some tiles are made to look like wood shakes, for use in craftsman, rustic, and log homes. Others are designed to mimic traditional European properties.
Natural slate tiles are used often as the roofing system of choice for victorian, colonial, and Tudor architecture. They also look great on sleek, modern, contemporary homes.
Slate tiles give the distinct appearance of natural stone and have a lot of advantages that clay and concrete tiles have, including durability and long lifespans.
They’re very popular in northern Europe and are often found in victorian and Tudor-style homes in the US.
Tile roofs are one of the most expensive upfronts for both materials and labor. Slate, as an example, can range from $1,000 to $2,000 per square (which is a 10-foot-by-10-foot section of roofing) installed and a tile roofing contractor that has experience working with the high-end material may also require more.
However, over their long lifespan, concrete, clay, and slate tiles will offset their initial cost. Because of a high thermal mass, tiles do a great job of regulating the temperature of your property, thus helping you lower heating and cooling expenses.
The durability and longevity of clay, concrete, and slate also mean that you save a lot of money by not having to replace your roof multiple times over the lifespan of your home.
As an added benefit in today's eco-friendly world, all of the materials used are environmentally friendly, easily recycled.
However, like any great roofing system, there are drawbacks and problems. For example, the trim tiles fall off after a while.
If you’re a property owner, you can’t predict when and how severe weather will hit you. You’ll need to take steps when your roof is damaged and you’ll need to completely understand the steps to take. Severe rain, high windstorms and monsoons can all cause heavy damage to your roof.
After your roof experiences severe wether, you have to assess the damage you’ve experienced. You can then be able to discuss what happened with your insurance representative and your roof repair contractor to help you avoid hidden costs or issues. (You should do this during daylight hours, which means you might have to skip to step 2 before you inspect the damage.) Use binoculars when you’re checking the damage so you can see the details closely.
Take the area thats been damaged and figure the estimated square footage. Look to see if there are any shingles missing and note how severe the damage is. In some smaller cases, you may just have a few random shingles missing or sheered off. Make a note of the material that’s visible and exposed. Here’s what to look for – the ends of missing shingles, tar paper or exposed plywood. Notice the shade and color of the material thats exposed. If you have some shingles from when the roof was installed or last repaired, you can check the packaging for the right shingle style and color you’ll need.
If you have a little experience with repairs, try to make some temporary fixes to minimize your damage. Personal items inside your home could be damaged by water if your roof is leaking directly above a living area. Put a garbage can or bucket under any leaking water and move any valuable items away from the area so they won’t get damaged more. You may need to use a tarp to cover badly damaged areas to get them waterproofed immediately. If they’re smaller repairs that are needed you can get them shingled right away.
Call your insurance representative and check your insurance policy if it looks like there’s enough damage for a claim. If there isn’t, it may make more sense money wise to hire a roofer yourself and get any needed repairs done. If you’re involved in a large, natural disaster where big swaths of residential properties are hit by severe weather or a big storm, you may want to contact your insurance company ASAP so you can get on a good contractor’s schedule immediately. Good, reputable roofing companies will have their calendars filled up quickly after a severe storm in their area, due to demand.
If you need to hire a roofing contractor, be sure it’s a reliable, professional roofing company. Be careful not to hire any fly-by-nighters that flood these areas after a storm and rip off vulnerable, uneducated property owners. Avoid these type of contractors at all costs. These traveling contractors that chase storms around will give you poor quality workmanship and be gone as fast as they arrived, leaving you with bigger issues than you had from just the storm.
A lot of homeowners take their ceilings for granted and don’t check them often, but we recommend you inspect them regularly for signs of moisture seeping through. Even if you see something that looks minor, you need to get on it and check it out. This article will discuss tips for taking care of water stains quickly and effectively.
When you spot moisture, the first thing you need to do is find out the source of where its coming from. Most of the time, the area directly above the stain is the best place to start. If you can’t see anything on your roof that looks like a problem, you could have a pipe thats leaking. There could also be moisture running along some pipes or trusses that will come from a source somewhere else and drop onto your ceiling.
Are they water stains? There are other causes for stained ceilings including:
If the leak is coming from your roof, it could be that there are other sources of moisture other than obvious leaks. If you need a professional, experienced roofing company to inspect your roof for leaks and determine where any moisture spots may be coming from, give us a call at (623) 465-1068.
You don’t want to repair any moisture stains, no matter how bad they look, until you know the source and have it repaired. If you fix it first then find the source, chances are you’re going to be repairing another moisture stain. If there’s permanent damage, you might have to take out part of your ceiling or wall to fix the issue. So the stain doesn’t seep through, when you’re dealing with a cosmetic stain, you should use a stain covering primer before painting over the spot. Depending on how much damage there is and the stain itself, you may need to contact a professional to help fix the issue.
Make sure you don’t let moisture stains and their source go unchecked. Always take care of the issue as soon as possible, or what could be a minor cosmetic and roof repair could turn into something major and much more expensive. Here at Mikku and Sons Roofing, we can put you in touch with financing options, if the need for it arises.
In the past, Victorian gray slate and Spanish Mediterranean red tiles were about the only choices if you wanted tiles on your roof. But because of new tile roofing innovations, technologies and manufacturing methods, there are many more architectural choices for your tile roofing system. Now, tile roofs are constructed of many different materials, colors and designs that can fit a multitude of taste and design choices for residential and commercial property owners.
For the most part, you can expect a tile roof to have a lifespan of 50 years or more. Some of the great things about tiles are their fire resistance, how they withstand strong chemicals, how they are resistant to biologically degrading, keep away bugs and animals, are mold resistant and can handle extremes in temperature, whether hot or cold.
A lower weight makes them able to be used in many types of architectural designs and systems.
20 to 30 % more utility savings for property owners due to modern green technologies.
Cool roof choices that will help towards solving urban heat island issues.
Manufacturing processes are incorporating new materials, such as recycled options in their manufacturing of tiles.
Many architectural styles can be used because of a myriad of new colors and shapes, such as even wood and shakes.
They’re more moisture resistant than the past due to developments in waterproof underlayment barriers and trim and venting options.
These are made by baking clay thats been colored and glazed. They can be used with many textures, finishes and styles. They are durable and long lasting, requiring less maintenance.
These are made using concrete reinforced with fibers, which increases strength and durability. They can be pressed into molds, which creates different kinds of shapes and designs for architectural purposes. They are then finished with different colored dyes and glazes.
Can last as long as 100 years, a natural stone material that requires very little maintenance. You can cut it into various shapes and sizes to fit the architectural needs of any home or business its being designed for.
Made form aluminum, copper, steel or tin, they can be made to look like stone with many different shades, shapes, and colors. They’re very lightweight, extremely durable and can be used in cold and elevated areas that have a lot of snow.
They can mimic the look of clay, ceramic or slate through rubber or polymer compounds that can be shaped and molded into many styles and designs. They’re also very light, durable and much easier to install than other tiles like clay, concrete or metal.
For your roof to drain properly, you need 3 things; proper placement of drains, proper slope on your roof, and proper sized drains, which on a sloped roof would mean gutters. Also, consider the amount and intensity of rainfall you would normally encounter during storms.
What gutters and drains do is detour the water falling from your roof away from the exterior walls and foundation. If you have gutters, its critical that the materials they’re made of, how they’re installed and the maintenance you perform on them are needed to prevent damage to your roof. Blocked gutters or drains can cause water to back up below the membrane or pool on the surface in areas that could take a long time to dry out. You never want standing water on any roof surface.
For gutters, aluminum and steel are the most common material choices. They are durable and resist cracking, bending and corrosion. These are 3 of the most common cases of damage to a roof. Corrosion, cracking and bending of gutters are one of the most common causes of damage to roofs.
Proper maintenance and regular inspections of your downspouts and and gutters is crucial to keep water flowing away from your property. The downspouts that carry that water away tend to clog and back up and must be kept clear. Proper maintenance and regular checks of the downspouts and gutters is essential to keep water flowing smoothly away from your building.
One of the most common causes of roof damage is a clogged gutter. Most gutters are open-top, which tend to accumulate debris (leaves, sticks) along with nesting birds and rodents. When your gutter gets blocked, water stops flowing and spills over the edge in the wrong places. The pooling and spilling water can soak your roofing material and make it rot. Locations where the gutters or downspouts are blocked also make a great place for mold, mildew and algae to thrive and grow.
Proper installation of the roof drain and gutters is also extremely important. If they aren’t installed right, they will almost certainly fail. they have to be installed with the roof’s pitch and angles taken into account. You’ll have damage to your roof line, or the gutters will crack or pull away from your property if they aren’t installed properly.
If you have a commercial building, where and how many roof drains or gutters you place is critical. Drains should be located no more than 100 feet apart and no more than 50 feet from the roof’s perimeter.
Your city or state surely has building codes that need to be checked before you make any changes or additions to your building.
If you think your drainage apparatus isn’t working the way it should, you should call a professional roofing contractor to inspect it as soon as possible. they will be able to pinpoint any problems for you and should be knowledgeable about the type of drainage thats appropriate for your property and the areas applicable building codes.
No matter what type of property you own, the roof on it will usually have some sort of warranty. Actually, there are two types of warranties – the actual one and one that’s inferred or implied. Let’s learn more about roof warranties.
The materials manufacturer will issue a warranty guaranteeing that their product will perform to certain standards over a specific period of time. It could be 10, 15, 20 or even more years, depending on the type of material they’re made of. They are taking for granted that the installation was performed correctly and that routine maintenance is being done. Let’s say your roof is looking like it needs to be replaced and the materials were warrantied for 10 years. Also, lets say your roofing contractor did a good job following the installation instructions and installed your roof perfectly. If the materials fail during your 10 year warranty period, the manufacturer is guaranteeing that they will be replaced with no cost to you.
A roofing installation contractor should provide a warranty that their workmanship will be guaranteed over a specific period of time. The most common is 2 years. So, if your contractor makes a mistake in installing your roof, and it fails from their bad workmanship, the professional roofing contractor will honor their warranty and supply the materials and labor to fix the problem. Make sure you scrutinize this one very carefully, making sure both labor and materials are covered, not just one or the other.
This means that a product will do what its designed to do. An example would be a roof membrane keeping water out of your home. Another term for this warranty is merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. They usually come with some instructions (and warnings) from the manufacturer. An example would be if you or someone else that walked on the roofing membrane and caused it to leak or fail. If you don’t follow these instructions or warnings, you’ll have a problem getting the manufacturer to honor their warranty.
You’ll need to make sure you do whats necessary to maintain your roof once you’ve signed your warranty. With commercial roofing, property managers and building owners will hire facility managers and on-staff maintenance teams to make sure they comply with their maintenance requirements. Experienced professionals are aware of what they need to do (and avoid doing) to make sure they maintain their roof and hence, their warranty. Overall, improper maintenance will cause damage to your roof, so when you hire someone to do repairs, or any work on your roof, make sure they are competent and familiar with your roof system, along with the manufacturers specs and maintenance instructions.
When your roof has a problem and you think your warranty has been violated, property owners generally have 30 days to notify the manufacturer or roofing contractor. If you don’t, you’ll void the warranty. If you wait too long, the manufacturers and roofers won’t be legally required to fulfill their obligations (which includes repairing or replacing your roof). So, if you suspect something is amiss with your roof, get it inspected by a competent professional roofing contractor as soon as possible, so you can make your notifications in a timely manner.
Roofing scams happen far too frequently, especially after severe storms. When there’s a lot of damage property owners become impatient with professional roofing contractors get backed up. The most vulnerable are the elderly and handicapped who might not be able to easily assess the damage themselves. Because of this, its important to make sure to get background checks on any roofing contractor you’re dealing with. Make sure they are legitimate licensed and insured contractors. It is also important to check out the quality of their past work.
Roofing scams are usually initiated by a someone going door to door offering repair jobs for an unusually low quote. They may say their crew has leftover supplies from another “project” they just completed in the neighborhood, which will let them pass the savings on to the next lucky customer. This “contractor” will usually ask for a cash deposit in advance. They won’t leave bonafide contact information, credible references, and won’t even attempt to produce a business license. The work they do will be poorly completed or left unfinished. The “roofing contractor” and his crew will leave before the property owner figures out what has happened. This leaves the property owner with little or absolutely nothing to go on.
Finally, remember that a scammer will usually want the work to be done immediately since they don’t want to give you any extra time to figure out who and what they are. If the representative insists on starting the project as soon as possible, be sure that you have checked the company out completely before handing over any of your hard-earned money.
Understanding information on roof warranties is extremely important. Does the purchase of a new roof mean you get to sit back and enjoy the next 20 years with no worries? The best answer is that it depends on what you just purchased.
Most property owners tend to focus on the length of the warranty and don’t fully understand what is and what is not covered, leaving you open to some surprises later.
Understanding the information on roof warranties can help you get the most out of your coverage.
It probably isn’t a surprise to learn that information on roof warranties is usually more geared toward protecting the manufacturer than the property owner.
Roofing manufacturers spend big money to compose lots of fine print that tries to limit their own liability if something goes wrong with their roofing products.
That’s why it’s so critical that you understand the information on roof warranties before signing off on your project. Here are some good questions to ask before making the purchase:
If you haven’t purchased your new roof yet, ask for a sample of the roof warranty template and read through it, and ask for clarifications from your roofing contractor.
What are the differences between a contractor roof warranty and a manufacturer roof warranty?
This one is pretty simple. One comes from the roofing company that installed the roof and one comes from the manufacturer of the roofing materials.
Manufacturer warranties differ – some cover only the material while others cover the whole system. Most manufacturer warranties also require the contractor to perform warranted repairs for the first few years after they install the roof.
Contractor roof warranties usually don’t cover materials and only cover the actual workmanship.
Material Only Warranties typically have a lower cost than a full system warranty but will only cover manufacturing defects and premature deterioration for the term of the warranty. Material-only warranties cover the roof membrane and not other accessories such as flashings, adhesives, metal edge, etc.
It only covers the cost of materials to repair or offers credit toward buying a new membrane. These warranties don’t cover or include any labor or coverage for installation issues. They also don’t provide coverage for fixing leak repairs.
Labor Only Warranties cover only the labor required to fix a roof defect and doesn’t cover the cost of materials. They are usually offered by the roof installation contractor. This type of warranty isn’t a roof workmanship warranty and probably won’t cover repairs for installation errors.
Full System Warranties usually cover not only the material but also manufacturer-approved flashings, accessories, and metalwork used in the original installation. They typically cover the full cost, labor included, for any roof leak repairs within the warranty terms and conditions. Again, this type of warranty might not cover installation errors.
Labor Warranties cover the costs associated with repairing a defective roof within the terms of the roof system coverage. Most full system warranties include labor.
However, they don’t cover the cost of repairs associated with installation failures. That’s why the most critical step of your roof system is a good, solid, professional installation.
There isn’t much that can protect you against installation issues besides a roof workmanship warranty from the roof installer.
Also, remember that a warranty is only as good as the roofing company backing it. Make sure you have a professional, long-standing roofing contractor install your roof.
Roof Workmanship Warranties cover you against costs related to actual installation problems and errors which a labor-only warranty might not cover. However, some system warranties do cover workmanship. If your warranty doesn’t include workmanship coverage you might be able to get it directly from the installer.
A roof warranty is only as good as the company backing it. Looking for a professional, experienced roofing contractor to install your roof? Contact Mikku and Sons Roofing today, at 623-465-1068.
Again, this depends on the actual type of warranty you have. You could be surprised by what you are or are not covered for. That’s why it’s so critical to know what the roof warranty will cover before you invest in a new roof system. Always read the fine print and exceptions.
Be aware that certain warranty coverage extras such as puncture coverage or high wind coverage require certain roof materials or installation methods which may impact the cost of the roof installation itself.
