Here’s When You Should Tarp Your Roof After a Storm
Once a storm has blown through your neighborhood, you may experience any or all of the following:
- Light streaming through your roof
- Hear water dripping from above
- See water seeping through your ceiling or down your walls
- Notice dark or yellow spots on the ceiling
- Notice missing roof shingles or shingles on the ground
- Notice sand-like shingle granules on the ground or in your gutters
- Notice dents on the roof or dings along your gutter system
If you’ve witnessed any of these signs of a compromised roofing system, contact your insurance company immediately. While you wait for a roof inspector to investigate, your insurance company may ask YOU to secure temporary repairs. Quickly calling a professional roofing company to tarp your roof is crucial.
There are a number of reasons your insurance company may make this request. First, it’s likely that in a storm’s wake many other homeowners are lined up for the same service, and you may have to wait your turn. But most importantly, tarping your roof quickly will stop the leak(s) and prevent further damage threatening your home.
The safety of your family, though, is the main reason your compromised roof should be tarped. Your family’s health is at risk when water continues entering your home and creates an environment where toxic mold spore growth is encouraged. Additionally, fires can result from water being in contact with your home’s electrical system.
Securing your contents is another important reason to tarp your roof. Water isn’t the only menace that may enter your home and damage its structure and furnishings. Holes in your roof allow rodents to enter as well. Squirrels, rats and insects are desperately searching for new homes after storms have destroyed their nests.
Under a standard homeowner’s insurance policy, some of the fallout from your damaged roof will be covered, but some won’t. For example, roof tarps are typically covered, while damage from mold and rodents is not.
Most insurance policies state that it’s the insured’s responsibility to protect property from further damage once a roof has been compromised. You have the option to buy a tarp at your local big box store and tarp the roof yourself, but why risk a nasty fall on a slippery roof? If you have a leaking roof and haven’t secured help yet, Phillips Home Improvements would love to provide the peace of mind you seek. To tarp and protect your home in the wake of a recent storm, call (972) 867-9792 or click here to contact us. Your home will thank you.
