Many of us have had damage to our houses from wind, hail, and rain this year.

These items are usually covered by insurance but navigating the world of insured repairs can be daunting.

I went to a house a couple of years ago to install windows. While there, I commented that a few shingles ad been blown off the roof by high wind. A call to the insurance carrier would be in order.

A couple of weeks later, I received a call from the owner, telling me that the insurance had awarded her money to repair the roof. As I was out of state at the time, I told her that I would call and set an appointment the following week,

When I called, I was told that she didn’t want to use our services as roofers, because she had her handyman put a few (mismatched) shingles on the roof of the rental property.

Almost two years later, I received an emergency service call to put a tarp on the roof where water was literally pouring into the second floor rooms. There was a considerable expense to have two roofers drive to the location and install a tarp during a severe rain storm.

The ceiling of the master bedroom collapsed, and water was now pouring through to the first floor. The owner called her insurance company with a claim for the water damage.

As it happened, the company was aware that the money that the insurance company awarded for the roof repair was never spent of properly replacing the roof after the first claim.

Would any reasonable person expect that the insurance company would pay for the water damage after the roof repair (that they paid for) was never made?

I have never heard back from this customer after the tarp was installed. I can’t imagine the out of pocket expense required to repair an entire ceiling and floor, as well as water damage and possible mold remediation as a result of negligence.

Roof repairs need to be done by qualified roofers, not some guy with a ladder who works cheap, and is not covered by insurance.

“A stitch in time saves nine” is true in this case. This problem been avoided by correctly servicing the roof when Insurance money was received. The considerable repair expense and loss of rental income was a direct consequence of cutting corners.

 

A couple of weeks ago I was called to quote a roof replacement and suggested to the homeowner that a call to his insurance company would probably be a good idea because of wind damage to the old roof.

After a thorough inspection by the adjuster, the company granted the claim, and the entire project expense was covered. An entire new roof cost the customer $1,000.00, the amount of his deductible.

The work is scheduled next month. The owner can look forward to a weather tight roof for years to come.

Pocketing money from an insurance award carries risks that are not obvious, but they can be devastating. If you get an award from a claim, use it to hire a qualified contractor. That’s what it’s for.

Keith Pearcy

Maryland Windows Doors Roofs

23 West All Saints Street, Frederick , Maryland 21701

Phone: 301 712-5228

MHIC #106619
email: info@marylandwindowsdoorsroofs.com

This house had its roof severely damaged by storms this year, resulting in water penetrating into the living spaces and filling up a light fixture on the ceiling.

The insurance company originally stated that they wouldn’t pay for the tar paper or drip edges to be replaced. The owner was supposed to find someone to save the old felt! This lowered the price of the job that the insurer was willing to pay out to a number so low that no one would accept that figure to do the job.

We advised the homeowner that it was building code that required us to install drop edges on all the edges of the roof, and that the shingle manufacturer would not warranty their products unless the job was installed correctly.

Following that exchange, the insurer increased the award to a number high enough to get the work done.

We completed the work for a very happy homeowner.

Keith Pearcy

Maryland Windows Doors Roofs

23 West All Saints Street, Frederick , Maryland 21701

Phone: 301 712-5228

MHIC #106619
email: info@marylandwindowsdoorsroofs.com

 

I first went to this Frederick Maryland house a couple of years ago. At that time. I told the owner that the roof was ready to be replaced.

The adhesive seams on the individual shingles were coming apart, and it was just a matter of time until the wind blew hard enough from the right direction for the roof to fail.

What happens is as follows. When the wind lifts the shingle from the one below it. It can now catch a lot more wind than before. Think sails on a boat being pulled up the mast.

Now the wind and water can get under the shingles and start a leak.

Leaks rarely fall directly under the penetration because the water just runs down the roof o the outside or the inside, and drips down where it will.

The owner opted to call a handyman to put some new shingles where the original opening appeared in the roof.

Two years later, I got a call to come and look at the roof problem. We put a small tarp on the obvious opening, as it was raining at the time and very treacherous.

 

We were called inside the home to see cracks in the ceiling from the weight of the water soaking the insulation and drywall. We placed a tarp on the floor below the crack

 

Two days later, we received another call for service because the ceiling had collapsed.

We are now in the process of getting paperwork signed to re roof the condo.

The insurance company is coming to look at the ceiling.

A timely repair of replacement of roofs can keep problems like this at bay.

In the end, the cost is significantly greater than doing the maintenance when it’s needed, and not waiting for a disaster.

 

A roofer certified by the manufacturer is a good place to start

Keith Pearcy

 

Maryland Windows Doors Roofs

23 West All Saints Street, Frederick , Maryland 21701

Phone: 301 712-5228

MHIC #106619
email: info@marylandwindowsdoorsroofs.com