Contractors Warn to Watch Out for Stormchasers after Heavy Hail
Roofing company signs have become almost as common as mailboxes in the Rock Creek neighborhood of Superior, Colorado, and there might be more joining them before the summer months are up.After a damaging thunderstorm on July 7 battered homes with large hailstones from Louisville to Arvada, signs are in front of almost every home, indicating the massive roof damage most of the homes suffered. The damage was so severe that roofers were going door to door, working with insurers to get the homes repaired.Superior might not be the end of the problems. Boulder, Colorado forecaster Mike Baker said that the long-range outlook recently released from the Climate Prediction Center in Washington DC predicts below average temperatures and above average precipitation for the remainder of summer in Colorado, which could be a recipe for more hail.
With weather conditions looking bleak, experts are warning homeowners to be proactive about work repair. Getting in touch with insurance companies immediately is crucial, but sometimes it’s best to enter roofing contracts with a little more caution.
Storm-chasers often follow big storms and scam homeowners into thinking they need more repairs than they actually do. Homeowners should research companies thoroughly to make sure they’re established and reputable rather than accepting a the lowest quote or a quote from the first roofer to knock on their door. Homeowners can also check local references.
Homeowners are also encouraged take photos to document damage done by the storm and keep receipts for any urgent temporary repairs so they can be reimbursed later.
Contractors also urge homeowners to have homes inspected after major storms even if there’s no visible damage to prevent costly repairs later, especially since smaller hail storms often cause more subtle problems, like granular loss, loose screws or shingles.
In the last decade, hailstorms have caused over $3 billion in insurance-covered damage in Colorado alone, according to the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association. This year, smaller, more frequent storms are causing damage rather than a few bigger events.
“The problem that hail storms cause is mainly to asphalt roofs. When asphalt roofs’ top layer of granular is damaged and removed, it exposes the underlying fiberglass felt which can quickly deteriorate due to UV from the sun. Left for a prolonged time, it can deteriorate through the shingles and cause leaks,” says Matthew Rock, Owner of Rock’s Roofing, Inc. “It is important to have your roof inspected soon after a hail storm because if the damage goes un-treated, not only is it an aesthetic problem, but can cause structural damage due to leaks as well.”
