New York is no stranger to a hurricane’s high winds, heavy rain, damaged property, and power outages. Several tropical storms rocked the state in the past few years with known hurricanes Sandy, Michael, Matthew, Maria, and Dorian leaving a lasting impact. Therefore, protecting your home from hurricane roof damage is paramount. Let’s dive deep to learn how to protect roof from hurricane.
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How To Protect Your Roof In A Hurricane
Roof prevention is better than roof repair, so minimize or eliminate hurricane roof damage by trying these five hacks.
Fix Loose, Damaged, And Wear And Tear-Areas
Secure loose shingles and tiles with caulk, nails, cement, or screws so there’s no hole exposed for water to enter your home. Afterward, survey the roof for rust, detachment, exposed nails, granules, loose anchoring, and pipe boot cracks. Fix those vulnerable areas immediately. Be sure to view roof edges, rafters, and the roof interior inside the attic.
Check The Attic
The attic contains the lowest part of the roof. Check this area for ventilation, eaves, soffits, and gable vent problems. Search for loose and compromised areas, especially the ceiling. Then, look for mold, moist insulation, yellow or brown stains, damp wood, peeling paint, and light shining through when the attic is dark. Fix those problems immediately.
Trim Tree Limbs And Branches
Tree branches and limbs hanging over the roof are prone to damage it during a hurricane. Cut those branches off. Prune tree branches and limbs regularly. Additionally, remove dead branches and limbs from all trees on the property. Not doing so will cause roof damage easily.
Pick up Items In The Yard
Items in the yard during the hurricane will become weapons to damage the home during the storm. Move garden hoses, power tools, ladders, and lawn furniture to the garage. Pick up fallen tree limbs and place them in the outdoor wastebasket.
Checking For Hurricane Insurance
Homeowners find out too late that the insurance doesn’t cover hurricane roof damage. You must review the policy with your insurance agent now. Try to add wind or hurricane coverage now for the upcoming season ahead.
Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Roof Damage From Hurricanes?
The answer isn’t straightforward with home insurance and hurricane roof damage. It depends highly on whether wind or water caused the damage. The home insurance policy is crucial in wind damage coverage. Wind damage covered by the insurance policy is due to an Act of God or uncontrollable circumstances. A hurricane fits the bill, meaning some insurance providers will cover roof damage and (maybe) debris removal. Some wind policies latch on to hurricane insurance, a separate rider.
Water damage is trickier. The coverage is a separate rider titled ‘flood insurance.’ Without flood insurance, the home has no protections against hurricane water damage, especially if it causes a flood. However, if heavy winds damage the roof and water floods the home later, a home insurance provider may offer relief only if wind damage is in the policy.
The safest way to find out if the insurance covers your damage is to contact the carrier or provider directly.
What Do I Do If A Tree Falls on My House?
The strong wind during a hurricane is very likely to bring down old, unstable trees. Even if you do your best to trim the branches and limbs that hang over your house or garage, the risk of a tree falling is still there. In case such a disaster strikes, the best thing to do is call the professionals. Our team has a long track of dealing with water damage due to fallen trees. First, we will help remove the tree and any debris. We offer roof tarping to prevent water from entering and damaging the structure. We also offer emergency board-ups for windows and doors in case of upcoming storms or unfortunate circumstances. Once that is out of the way, we use our advanced equipment to completely dry the property and prevent further damage or mold growth.
Hurricane Damage In New York
The tricky situation with hurricane insurance, flood insurance, and wind coverage is a primary reason to rely on iFlooded Restoration to cover the cost of hurricane damage to your home and restore the storm damage. Our trained professionals will use the latest equipment to remove water from wet surfaces and dry the area. We will board up doors and windows to prevent major water and wind damage to the home. We will tarp roofs so no water leaks through and no shingles or tiles fly away.
No worries about the bill. If the damage is covered by your insurance, we will retrieve payment from the insurance company so all you focus on is the deductible.
Therefore, if you need hurricanes damage roof restoration company that will clean up with you after the storm, count on us. Contact us to schedule a free estimate. With over 30 years of experience, you don’t have to pick up the pieces alone. Let us lend a hand.
