After the storm: What should you do first?

Damaging storms understandably cause home owners to be concerned. If your roof is damaged, or you think it is, take a methodical approach and involve a professional roofer. There’s no cost for an assessment and it will bring peace of mind.

The potential of property damage can make us anxious, but keep calm and follow these steps.

By Brian Fidler
Fidler on the Roof KC

Storms can get our hearts pounding, especially when they cause damage to our property.

But we may be even more anxious if we’re not sure whether our home is impacted. Do we call our agent? Or chance it? And if we call, will our insurance rates go up?

We may look at our roof and see a mess of leaves and branches. In that case, we can’t tell if the storm caused an impact. But even if the roof is clear of debris, some damage is only visible to a trained eye – especially when looking up from the ground.

It’s not necessarily wise to climb the ladder and inspect the rooftop yourself. Injuries and accidents happen to the best of us – especially if the surface is wet following a storm. And, following up on my point about inspection experience, it’s not always simple to separate general wear and tear from the impact of last night’s thunderstorm.

So who do you call?
Make your first call to a trustworthy roofer. Call the contractor before your insurance agent. Really.

Why? If you ask the insurer to inspect your roof, it may result in a claim, even if there’s no damage and you get nothing fixed.

“There’s no risk in contacting a reputable roofing company, such as Fidler on the Roof KC. Our inspections are always 100% free with no strings attached. ”

If we look at the roof and see no damage, then you’re done. No need to call your insurer. Just rake up the leaves and branches and put the worry aside.

However, if we do detect storm-related damage, you can have confidence that calling in a claim is a good decision. And, when your insurer sends an assessor to review the roof, we can be there at the same time. Our goal is not to argue with the assessor, but to make sure everyone sees the impact so nothing is missed.

In addition, we want to recommend the right materials for repair or replacement, not merely whatever is cheapest for the insurer. This usually isn’t a problem, but we’re onsite just in case.

As the project goes forward, we can work with your insurance company on your behalf (if you like) and handle all the paperwork. It’s simply an extra service we provide and it costs nothing.

We can’t undo storm damage, but we can help you get a quick response and a prompt repair.

Let us know how we can be of service.

Brian Fidler is business administrator with Fidler on the Roof KC.