3 minute guide to preventing storm damage

When a hail storm strikes, it can wreak untold damage upon your roof. Preventing storm damage isn’t easy, but there are some things you can do.

It’s vital to remember that you’re not entirely defenseless against hail and its destruction. You can take preventive measures as a property owner to safeguard against harsh weather and eventual damage that will come with expensive repairs.

It should be stated that while there are some sensible, proactive steps against hail. Some measures, like climbing up onto a roof, should only be carried out by professionals.

How Will Hail Damage Affect My Roof?

Hail damage speeds up the degeneration and aging of shingles. This severely decreases their lifespan and reduces how effectively they can protect your home.

Destruction sustained from storms may also not be covered by your warranty. This kind of severe weather is often classified as an “act of God”. Which gives insurance companies an out not to compensate you for if the weather turns ugly.

What Should You Do If Your Roof Has Sustained Storm Damage?

A fantastic first step is to reach out to roofing professionals with experience.

Call Professionals

You should never attempt risky or dangerous repairs or preventative maintenance by yourself.

You should always reach out to seasoned roofing professionals with experience inspecting and evaluating storm damage.

Technically, it’s impossible to completely safeguard your roof against a nasty hail storm. All we can do is be best prepared, and it’s important to vigilant about possible damage after a storm too.

Roofing experts that understand their craft well will perform an in-depth inspection. During this, they will analyze the flashing of a roof. As well as looking at other elements to ensure that hail doesn’t have the potential to inflict extensive damage in the future.

If roof flashing is damaged, it will be susceptible to penetration by storm damage. Experienced roofing professionals will be able to perform necessary repairs. Something homeowners can’t do themselves.

Look for Warnings Signs

Your roof is trying to tell you it’s in trouble if it has missing, curled, or comprised shingles. Take a look at the siding on your home or building too.

If it appears as though compromised parts could fly off during a hail storm, you need to get them repaired immediately.

Also, it’s a great idea to clean out your gutters from time to time. If you can see standing water or a build-up of debris, it’s only a matter of time before you have a problem.

Trim Trees and Shrubs

While many property owners let trees and shrubs grow to the point where they touch a home, we advise you always avoid this.

Trimming trees and shrubs does costs money and time. But we can tell you from experience that keeping trees away from your roof will save you money in the long run.

Limbs from wayward trees can easily cause problems for roofs. They also serve as a comfortable vantage point for critters like squirrels and insects to crawl onto your roof and cause damage.

Remove any dead tree limbs, leaves, and other debris that may come into contact with your roof during heavy wind storms.

Secure Your Home

It’s always a great idea to make sure that your windows and doors are secure too. If a strong wind or a storm hits, natural forces could blow doors and windows completely off their hinges.

Also, your garage door’s weak points should be reinforced with metal stiffeners for safety. Window frames, blown-off doors, and other storm damage have the ability to inflict untold destruction on the roof of your property.

Roof Materials Matter

Did you know that hail can shower down on roof at speeds upward of 100 mph?

Major storms make roofs susceptible to damage like cracks, dents, and other damage. All of which can lead to significant roof issues if not repaired.

If your roof is nearing its expected lifespan, consider an impact-resistance roof as your replacement. Roofs made of asphalt shingles or stainless steel can withstand a hail storm much more favorably than other kinds of materials.

When choosing your next roofing materials, look at modified asphalt shingles too. These are great for preventing storm damage as they can withstand hailstorms. This is because they’re made with a unique rubber compound designed to withstand the impact.

Also, while slate roofs can be very costly, they are meant to last upwards of a century. Finally, concrete is known to very durable against substantial weather damage.

If you’re unsure which type of roofing material is best for you, we’d be happy to talk through the options with you.

Preventing Storm Damage with Elite Roofing of Georgia

At Elite Roofing of George, we offer free storm damage inspections. All of which are carried out by our team of highly trained professionals.

Our seasoned inspectors are honest specialists. It’s their job to help determine the steps you need to take to keep your building safe and free from any water damage.

Remember that if you do not take care of early signs of damage, water damage issues will continue to progress and can cause some serious problems.

If you think your roof is showing signs of damage, or if you want one of our experts to come out and check your roof is in good condition – call an inspector today on 770-288-9795 on contact us here to arrange a free inspection.