Storm damage roof repair in Horsham and Montgomery County

Wind damage or hail damage: how to tell from the ground

You do not need to climb up to get a good idea of what a storm did. Walk around the house with your phone the morning after and look for these.

Signs of wind damage

• Shingles in the yard or gutters. Each one is a bare spot on the roof.
• Missing tabs along the edges and ridge. Wind gets under the shingles where the roof ends, so the eaves, rakes and ridge go first.
• Shingles that look lifted or creased. A shingle that flapped and folded back may still be there, but its seal is broken and the next storm will take it.
• Flashing or ridge vent pulled loose around the chimney or along the peak.
• Branches on the roof, even small ones. A limb can crack shingles or punch through without looking like much from below.

Signs of hail damage

• Dents in the soft metal first. Check gutters, downspouts, window wraps, the AC unit fins and any metal vents. If those are dented, the roof took hits too.
• Dark, round spots on the shingles where hail knocked the granules off. Hail marks are scattered at random, not in lines.
• A sudden pile of granules at the downspout outlets right after the storm.
• Dings on the car, mailbox or deck furniture. If the hail was big enough to mark those, it is worth having the roof looked at.

Write down the date: Note the date and time of the storm and take photos before anything is cleaned up. Your insurer will ask when it happened, and photos of shingles in the yard are good evidence.

How a storm damage insurance claim usually goes

Every policy is different, so read yours or call your agent. But on most homeowner claims we see, it goes roughly like this:

1. Stop the water first. If the roof is leaking, get it tarped. Most policies expect you to take reasonable steps to prevent more damage. We can do that 24/7 through our emergency roof repair line.
2. Get the roof inspected. We go up, photograph the damage close up, and tell you honestly whether it looks like real storm damage or ordinary wear. If it is not worth a claim, we will say so before you file one.
3. Report the claim to your insurer. You call them, not us. They will give you a claim number and usually send an adjuster.
4. The adjuster inspects. We can meet the adjuster at the house and walk the roof with them, pointing out what we documented. It helps make sure nothing obvious gets missed.
5. The insurer decides. They decide what is covered and how much they pay. Your deductible is yours to pay. We give you a written, line-item estimate for the repair so you can compare it with their numbers.
6. We do the work. Once you approve the estimate, we make the repair or, if the damage is widespread, replace the roof.

One honest warning: insurance generally pays for sudden damage, not for a roof that was already worn out. If the shingles were bald and curling before the storm, expect a fight, and expect part of the bill to be yours. In that case it may be time to think about replacing the roof on your own terms.

Storm chasers: who knocks on your door after a hailstorm

After a big storm, crews from out of state follow the weather. They knock on doors, offer free inspections, and want a signature that day. Some do fine work. Many are gone by the time a leak shows up next spring. A few things to check before you sign with anyone, us included:

• Ask for a Pennsylvania license number and look it up. Ours is PA164826.
• Ask where their office is. A local address and phone number means someone to call in a year.
• Be wary of anyone who offers to cover or waive your deductible. Ask your insurer about it before agreeing to anything like that.
• Do not sign a contract on the spot, and read anything that hands your claim or your insurance money over to the contractor.
• Get a written estimate with the work spelled out line by line.
• Ask for proof of insurance. We carry general liability and workers' compensation and will show it before work starts.

What the repair involves

Most storm repairs are a section of shingles, the underlayment beneath them, and any flashing or ridge vent that lifted. When a limb has gone through, we cut out the broken decking and replace it before new shingles go on. We match the existing shingle as closely as we can; a weathered roof will look slightly different next to new shingles for a while. If the damage is spread across every slope, a roof inspection will show whether a patch or a new roof makes more sense. Our rule of thumb: once a repair would cost more than about 30% of a new roof, put the money toward replacement.

What it usually costs

A handful of blown-off shingles is at the low end. Broken decking from a limb, or damage across several slopes, pushes it up, and widespread hail damage can mean a new roof.

• Storm Damage Roof Repair: $550 – $6,000
• Emergency Roof Repair: $550 – $3,250
• Roof Repair: $350 – $2,500
• Roof Replacement: $6,500 – $18,000

Questions we get asked

How do I know if my roof has storm damage?

Look for shingles in the yard, missing tabs along the edges and ridge, and dents in gutters, downspouts and the AC unit. Inside, check the attic and top-floor ceilings for new stains. If you see any of that, a free inspection with photos will tell you how bad it is.

Will my insurance pay to repair storm damage?

Homeowner policies often cover sudden damage from wind, hail or a fallen tree, minus your deductible. They generally do not cover a roof that was already worn out. We document the damage and can meet the adjuster, but your insurer decides what is covered.

Can you meet my insurance adjuster?

Yes. We can meet the adjuster at the house, walk the roof with them, and show the photos and scope we wrote up. We do not promise a claim will be paid; that decision is the insurer's.

Should I file a claim before or after a roofer looks at it?

Having a roofer look first is usually smart, because it tells you whether there is real storm damage before a claim goes on your record. If the roof is leaking, get it tarped right away either way. Ask your insurer about their reporting deadlines.

Someone knocked on my door offering a free roof after the storm. Is that legit?

Sometimes, but be careful. Ask for their Pennsylvania license number and local address, get a written estimate, and do not sign anything on the spot. Be wary of anyone offering to cover your deductible.

How much does storm damage roof repair cost?

Most storm repairs we do fall between $550 and $6,000, depending on how much is damaged and whether the decking underneath is broken. Widespread damage can mean a full replacement, which typically runs $6,500 to $18,000. You get a written estimate before any work starts.

Related pages

• Emergency Roof Repair: Active leak or storm damage? Call any time, day or night. We tarp it to stop the water, then make the permanent fix.
• Roof Inspection: A free, top-to-bottom look at your roof with photos, so you know what you actually need before you spend anything.
• Roof Repair: Leaks, missing shingles, flashing and vents. We fix the problem and tell you honestly how much life the roof has left.
• Roof Replacement: Full tear-off and new roof when repairs stop making sense. Written, line-item estimate before anything starts.
• Gutter Repair: Sagging, leaking or overflowing gutters fixed before they rot your fascia.
• Siding: Vinyl and board-and-batten siding installation and repair.
• Horsham: Home base. Our shop is here.
• Hatboro: Borough homes and older twins right next door to Horsham.
• Ambler: Older borough homes with steep roofs and plenty of flashing.
• Fort Washington: Wooded lots where trees and storms are the main roof threat.
• Warminster: Our neighbor to the north; lots of 1950s-70s ranchers and splits.
• Montgomery County: Where we do most of our work, from Horsham out across the county.
• Bucks County: Warminster, Doylestown, Newtown, Yardley, Chalfont and everywhere in between.