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The Atlanta area is no stranger to severe weather, so keeping your roof in tip-top shape is essential. No matter how well you’ve stayed on top of preventative maintenance, there’s always a chance that extreme weather could damage your roof in a way that needs emergency attention.
Storms aren’t the only thing that can leave you with a roofing emergency on your hand, though. Things like pest infestations, lots of mold growth in the attic, seriously clogged gutters, or fire damage can also mean that you’ll want to call a professional roofing company immediately.
What should you do if you’re facing a roofing emergency in Atlanta? Please stick with us to look at the actions you should take.
What to Do If You Have a Roofing Emergency
An emergency repair is necessary when a roof poses an immediate risk of harm to individuals or a structure. If you’re in the Atlanta area and have a roofing emergency, here are the steps you want to take.
You can learn about the three different categories of roof repair services in this article.
1. Take a Deep Breathe and Assess the Danger
When you realize that you have a roofing emergency on your hands, it can be hard to stay calm; this is particularly true if the weather outside is inclement and water is pouring into your home. It’s natural to feel stressed, but the best thing you can do now is to take a deep breath and do your best to remain calm and collected.
The essential thing in this moment is accurately determining whether you and your loved ones are in danger. For example, if a tree has fallen on your roof and you’re worried about the roof collapsing, you’ll want to evacuate your family and your pets. You’ll also want to steer clear of power lines if it appears that the tree also brought lines down with it.
Similarly, if your home is flooding with water in a way that threatens the safety of you and your family, you’ll want to find a safe place to evacuate.
2. Call a Roofing Contractor
If you have a roofing emergency, please give us a call immediately: (678) 365-3138
Luckily, many roofers offer emergency roof repair services 24/7. You can give them a ring even if it’s Christmas morning or 3 am. Unfortunately, it is common for unlicensed and unqualified individuals to offer repair services after a large storm has left damage in a town. That being said, you’ll want to make sure that you call an experienced and qualified roofing company to deal with your roofing emergency.
You must hire roofing professionals who have a roofing license and are also properly insured.
Do What You Can to Limit Interior Damage
If it’s safe to be inside your home, you’ll want to do what you can to limit damage inside. You can place buckets, pots, and other containers under active leaks to reduce the damage that leaks can do to your home and move furniture and rugs out of the way.
If you have access to a dehumidifier, you could also run that to limit how damaged your home and possessions become.
1. Contact Your Insurance Company
Depending on the nature of the roof damage, you may or may not choose to contact your insurance company. If you are planning on notifying your insurance company and filing a claim for the incident, you’ll want to make sure that your roofer documents the damage sufficiently. Hence, the claims process goes as smoothly as possible.
It’s generally a good idea to be aware of what is covered in your home insurance policy before disaster strikes. Your insurance company may offer coverage for hotels or being displaced from your home if you have to vacate until the problem has been repaired. When you make an insurance claim, an insurance adjuster will visit your property to assess the damage and assign a dollar figure to the claim. If you are worried that they aren’t offering enough money to cover the full extent of the damage, you can provide them with quotes from qualified roofing companies.
Colony Roofers has years of experience dealing with insurance companies regarding roof repairs. After a fire, storm, or another event that leaves you needing some roof work, we will thoroughly inspect your roof and give you an accurate estimate that you can use to file your claim.
We are dedicated to ensuring that you get the full claim and are therefore happy to speak with your insurance adjuster on your behalf to go through the details of our estimates and verify the quoted amount.
2. Prepare Your Home
If your roofing emergency only requires a minor repair, you might not have to do anything in preparation. However, if you need a complete roof replacement, there are a handful of steps you will want to take.
To prepare your yard for a roof replacement, you’ll want to:
● Move your vehicles a safe distance away
● Clear patio furniture and toys
● Move delicate objects like statues, potted plants, wind chimes, and bird feeders out of your garden
● Protect your plants or mark them with orange tape to indicate plants that roofers should take care of to avoid disturbing
● Mark any hidden water features or sprinklers you can’t remove
● Cut your grass to make it easier to find leftover debris
● Unlock your gates so roofing contractors can access your home from all sides
● Inform your direct neighbors of the roof replacement
In terms of your home, you’ll want to do the following to prepare for a roof replacement:
● Clear and protect the attic: Move any fragile or sentimental items out of the attic and put a painter’s drop sheet down to make clean up easier
● Secure your windows
● Protect the garage
● Protect fragile items that vibrations could damage
● Remove wall decor that vibrations could damage
What Will a Professional Do to Help With a Roofing Emergency?
What does the process look like when a professional roofer responds to a roofing emergency? Knowing what to expect when you hire emergency roofing contractors can be helpful, so let’s look at the steps usually involved.
1. Assess the Damage
The first thing roofers will do is assess the damage caused to your roof. If your roof is leaking, they will search for the source.
Depending on several factors, your roof may only need minor repairs, or the roofers might suggest a complete roof replacement.
2. Place a Temporary Patch or Tarp Over the Impacted Area
When there is damage to your roof, emergency roofing contractors will typically affix a tarp or a temporary patch on the affected areas; this helps to protect your home while allowing sufficient time for the roofers to prepare for repair or replacement.
This step is significant if there is rain or other inclement weather in the forecast between now and when the company can do the repairs.
3. Give you a Quote
Once they have assessed the damage and temporarily patched your roof, roofing professionals will provide you with a written quote or estimate.
At Colony Roofers, we are happy to speak with adjusters on your behalf to help explain and verify the quote we provide. If you expect to make an insurance claim, you’ll also want to ensure that they document the damage with photos and a written description.
4. Schedule Roof Repairs
If a major storm caused your roof damage, you likely aren’t the only person in your neighborhood or city that requires roof repair. It’s, therefore, a good idea to get on their schedule as soon as possible so your roof can be fully repaired.
In the meantime, you’ll want to keep an eye on the tarp or temporary replacement and inform your roofers if it comes loose or if the condition of your roof deteriorates.
What to Do If You Can’t Get a Roofer Out Right Away
If a storm is actively occurring and your roof has been damaged, it won’t be safe for roofing contractors to address the problem with your roof. If you have determined that it is safe for you and your family to remain in your home, you can do several things to help limit the amount of damage that occurs between now and the time the roofing contractors can arrive.
If you are dealing with a leaking roof, you will want to place buckets or containers under any active drips. This will help to contain the water, so it isn’t collecting on your floors and damaging your belongings.
You mustn’t climb out onto the roof when a storm is occurring to try and cover the affected area with a tarp. Unless you are highly experienced in walking on roofs, it likely is best to wait for a professional even after the weather has cleared up.
You can also move any rugs, furniture, or belongings away from the problem areas in your home. This way, you can reduce the amount of damage that occurs to your home.
Types of Roofing Emergencies
It’s always a good idea to take care of roof repairs right away, but not all circumstances qualify as an emergency.
If your attic or home’s interior is exposed to the elements due to a problem with the roof, you’ve got an emergency on your hands. This is also the case if structural damage could quickly result from physical damage or water damage.
If there is a large volume of water in your home due to a roof issue or there is water leaking onto a vulnerable spot (such as your electrical fuse box), it’s an emergency that you’ll want to address immediately.
Damage from any of the following can qualify as a situation where you will need emergency help:
● Fallen trees
● Fire damage
● Extreme mold growth in the attic
● Major ice dams
● Lightning strikes
● Clogged gutters that cause a serious roof leak
● Any fast-growing leak
● Pest and animal issues
● Risk of structural collapse
● Major thunderstorms, tornados, or hurricanes
If you aren’t quite sure whether your roof problem qualifies as an emergency, it’s best to play it safe and call a roofer to assess the situation. They will be able to tell you how urgent the matter is and whether you need an emergency service or to schedule an estimate for repairs.
Roof Problems That Aren’t Emergencies
No one wants there to be problems with their roof, but not all of them require that you call a roofing contractor in the middle of the night or first thing on Christmas morning.
Examples of roof damage that typically don’t require emergency attention include:
● One or two broken or missing shingles
● Small skylight leaks
● Small amounts of condensation in the attic
● Minor gaps or leaks in the flashing
● Algae or moss growth
● Roof vent clogs
All of these issues require attention from a professional roofer. With all roof problems, it’s important to make repairs as quickly as possible to reduce the occurrence of additional damage. However, it is generally fine to wait until normal business hours to address these types of concerns.
Having a reputable roofing company perform regular inspections of your roof is one of the best ways to avoid dealing with avoidable roof damage that requires emergency attention. It’s also useful to learn about the signs that indicate your roof will require repairs so you can deal with them as soon as possible.
Roofing Contractors in the Atlanta Area
Colony Roofers is a fully licensed and insured roofing contractor that serves the greater Atlanta area. Locally owned and committed to offering our customers the best customer service experience, you can count on us to respond when you contact us. We know how stressful it can be when you’re dealing with a roofing emergency, so we won’t ever leave you waiting.
Our crews are made up of hand-selected, highly-talented, and knowledgeable individuals, and we only use first-rate materials from leading manufacturers. On top of that, we offer some of the best product warranties in the business.
If your roof is in need of emergency repair, contact us today.
