Dark and cloudy skies, rumbling thunder, heavy and cold rains—whether you’re an old-school Floridian or a recent transplant, there’s a good chance you’ve seen all kinds of storms shake up the Sunshine State.
No matter what the bright and bubbly nickname might indicate, Florida boasts a legendary reputation for nasty weather. Between tropical storms, hurricanes, tornados, and routine afternoon rain; Florida is no stranger to excessive extreme weather; neither is your roof.
Death, taxes, and roof damage from storms—there’s no escaping fate in Florida, where enduring storm damage comes with the territory.
And to properly handle those damages, you’ll need to know what you’re in for!
First of all, know that determining a storm’s impact on your roof starts before the fireworks. Invest in roofing insurance and handle any maintenance issues on your roof before serious weather rolls through; we’ll call this Step Zero.
It is important to inspect your roof regularly, so you can spot significant changes and understand the full extent of the damages. It may be a good idea to include some documentation of your roof’s condition before and after the storm. Photographs and professional inspections are a great way to keep track of any damages.
We get it—no matter how prepared you seem to be, storms will always be stressful, but we’re here to help! Below we’ve listed three major types of damage to look for:
1.) Missing or Damaged Shingles
Everybody has experienced the chill of the cold beginning with a few drops of water as the rain starts, tingles down their spine at the first clap of thunder, and unfortunately the crashing sound of the wind ripping apart and damaging your beautiful roof.
Wind and pressure can cause major erosion and breakage to your roof, especially the shingles. Broken or completely missing shingles are the most common forms of shingle damage. Strong winds can get underneath each shingle and rip the entire flap off. Strong storm winds may also apply enough pressure to bend or break the shingles, causing them to bend or break compromising the strength of your entire roof.
2.)Water Damage
Imagine the usual summer afternoon rain starts—as it does every day in Florida—but this time you feel a drop of water as you notice the suspicious dark spot, that has been on your ceiling since the last big storm, has grown bigger. Uh oh, the fear and wonder set in, just how much damage was done?
While it’s no surprise that water damage to your roof after a storm is common, it can affect all parts of your house and health. Water damage may come from standing water or structural damage. After any bad weather, check for any water pooling or puddling on your roof that may cause leaking or rotting. Standing water and leakage will create the perfect growing conditions for mildew or mold—which may lead to other problems, affecting more than just the roof.
3.) Structural Damage
We’ve all seen the horrifying pictures of mangled or blown-off roofs after a hurricane or big storm.
With storms comes structural damage—and while it may not cause nearly as much panic as a missing roof, minor structural issues are still important to spot.
Broken gutters, damaged soffit or fascia boards, and granule loss are the most common forms of structural storm damage. During a storm, debris and trees are flying everywhere making your roof a target. Any number of structural damages can quickly lead to other types of damage. It is extremely important to find any structural damage, no matter how small it may seem, and get it repaired as fast as possible.
Your safety during a storm should be your top priority, let us worry about your roof.
Leave the worrying and inspection to the Pros—we’re made for this kind of thing. Contact us at 833-467-7635 with any storm or damage concerns. With most jobs completed within 24 hours, we’ll have your roof repaired and safe in no time!