Severe weather like wind and hail can cause serious damage to your roof in Westfield.  When a storm blows through damaging your roof, it’s important to know what steps to take to make sure your roof is properly repaired.

Inspect Your Property

Ensure that your property is safe, keeping an eye out for dangers like downed power lines and harmful debris, then take some time to perform a thorough self-assessment of the damage.  This will be important when it’s time to contact your insurance company if you plan to file a claim for the damage.  You’ll want to look for signs of damage to your roof as well as signs that the storm was capable of producing the damage.

Storm Damage Signs

There are certain signs of direct damage to your roof that you can look for after a storm:

• Bent or Broken Shingles
• Missing Shingles
• Visible Punctures in Roof
• Exposed Felt or Decking
• Missing Granules
• Granules in Downspouts
• Dents and Dings on Roof Surface

Severe Storm Signs

In addition to the clear signs of roof damage, you’ll want to take note of signs that the storm was strong enough to produce damage.  Sometimes you won’t be able to see the damage with an untrained eye, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t there.  Anytime a severe storm comes through Westfield it’s important to take stock of your surroundings to determine if there may be damage you can’t see.  Some of the things that can indicate the strength of the storm are:

• Displaced Items Like Trash Cans and Furnitures
• Damage to Gutters, Siding, and Windows
• Damage to Structures Like Fences and Decks
• Fallen Limbs and Branches
• Local News Reports of Sustained High Winds
• Local News Reports of Hail

Record the Damage

In order to streamline the process of repairing your storm damaged roof it’s important to record the findings from your self-assessment.  Write down the direct damage you see as well as the evidence you compiled that proves the storm was strong enough to cause damage to your roof.  Additionally, you should always take pictures of your property any time you think it has sustained any kind of damage.  This is an important step to ensure you receive the coverage you deserve from your insurance provider.  If you think you’ve taken enough pictures, take a few more.  You can never have too many, but there could be a chance that you don’t have enough or the right ones.

Contact Your Insurance Company

Keeping the information you’ve assembled readily available, contact your insurance provider to begin the process of filing an insurance claim.  When you call be prepared to provide your policy number and contact information as well as your observations from your self-assessment.  Your insurance company will likely send out an adjuster to perform a professional inspection, although some companies will use the information provided from a roofing contractor instead.  This is also a good time to clarify any questions you might have about your policy and coverage, so have those questions ready as well.

Hire a Trusted, Local Roofing Contractor

Time is of the essence when dealing with storm damage, so once you’ve contacted your insurance company to being the claims process you’ll want to call a reputable Westfield roofing company like Nextgen Roofing to get started right away on your roof repair.  Qualified professionals will perform their own inspection of your roof and work with your insurance company to provide the best solution possible for your storm damage within the guidelines of your insurance policy.

If you’ve sustained storm damage to your roof in Westfield, call Nextgen Roofing right away for a free estimate!