Weathering the Storm: How Roofers Can Help with Storm Damage?

 Storms can wreak havoc on roofs, from missing shingles to serious structural issues. When wind, hail, or heavy rain damages roofing, having an experienced professional assess and repair the problem is vital.

Roofers are specially trained to spot all types of storm damage and recommend solutions. They comprehensively fix or replace roofing to restore integrity against future weather.

By quickly addressing problems, they mitigate further interior damage from leaks and keep homes safe.

Signs of Storm Damage

There are obvious signs of storm damage like missing, cracked or loose shingles. However, watch for subtler clues:

Granule Loss and Exposed Asphalt: Healthy shingles have granule surfacing. After storms, spots lacking granules indicate damaged areas. The exposed asphalt underneath is more vulnerable to UV rays, heat and additional damage.

Roof Deck Visible: Missing shingles following storms allow you to see the roof deck underneath. This exposes the roof structure and interior to weather and moisture.

Lifting or Curling Shingles: Powerful wind lifts shingle edges up or curls them. Curled spots allow wind-driven rain and debris underneath, gradually eroding the roofing system.

Nail Popping: Storms can lift and stress shingles enough to break their nail holds and pop out nails. Nail heads rust and cause additional leaks.

Dark Streaks: Wind drives rain underneath shingles, leaks out at eaves and leaves dark water stains on roofing. Stains signal interior water damage.

Punctures: Hail stones, falling branches and wind-blown debris can dent, crack or puncture through shingles. Cracks channel water below quickly.

Flashing Damage: Metal flashings around vents, valleys and protrusions are vulnerable to wind damage. Torn, missing or folded flashings allow major leaks. 

Moss Growth: Storm-damaged areas that remain wet longer grow moss easily. Moss holds moisture against the roof, eventually causing rot.

Role of Professional Roofers

Installing and repairing today's complex roofing systems to withstand weather is best left to experienced professionals. Here is what roofers bring to storm damage restoration:

Specialised Knowledge: Roofing experts understand how different roofing systems are constructed. This helps them pinpoint where storm damage originates and how it impacts other components.

They know how water flows over and through the roof during storms. They use this flow analysis to find all related areas needing repair.

Storm Damage Expertise: Repetitive storms in the UK create nuanced damage across local regions. Roofers remain updated on emerging storm damage patterns and necessary repairs.

They know solutions specific to each roofing material from tile, metal and flat to shingle and membrane types.

Broad Repair Expertise: Storms damage roofing in unpredictable combinations- tearing membranes, breaking tiles, loosening flashings and destroying shingle adhesion. Roofers have mastery across all types of materials and repair techniques to restore any storm-damaged roof. 

Safety Training: Accessing and working on steep, tall or partially damaged roofs requires safety training. Roofing contractors follow strict fall protection guidelines for themselves and their property. They fence off areas below their work and use ropes, harnesses and scaffolding to prevent injury or accidents.

Insurance Knowledge: Storm damage repairs can confuse homeowners insurance. Professional roofers clarify what qualifies for your policy and work with adjusters directly for accurate claim support. They supply necessary documentation through the claims process.

License and Credentials: Reputable local roofing experts have undergone training, testing and credentialing in the UK to perform roof work legally. Always verify their updated licensure, bonding and liability insurance before hiring. 

Repair and Restoration Process

Professional roofers have a clear protocol they follow to fix storm-damaged roofs:

Thorough Inspection: The first step is a comprehensive inspection of all roofing components- underlayment, decking, flashing, vents, edges, penetrations and covering materials. Inspectors examine the condition, weather tightness and structural soundness. They use ladders, drones and lifts to see everything.

Scope Documentation: Next the roofer maps out and quantifies all damaged areas needing repair. This documentation helps support insurance claims and ensures complete restoration. Photos, material samples and measurements are collected.

Customised Plan: Using inspection findings, roofing companies draft a unique repair approach tailored to your roof, home layout and budget constraints. They determine optimal materials and methods for restoration. Expect options here like partial patching vs. full replacement.

Protection Set Up: Before work begins, roofers install interior water protection like tarps and water catchments. Exterior fall safety goes up, damaged areas are cordoned off and access scaffolding is erected.

Tear-Off and Replacement: Where critical roof damage exists, material tear-off is first. Rotted underlayment and decking get removed. Then new overlays go down followed by flashing, vents and finally shingles or tile. Proper nailing patterns and seals secure everything.

Patching and Sealing: In less damaged areas, roofers may patch small holes or cracks. Then, they add sealant adhesive to reinforce lifted or curled roof segments back into position. Any exposed nail heads get re-sealed too.

Final Safety Checks: Nearing completion, crews inspect repairs to confirm roof integrity from all sight lines. They check for secure seals, and proper drainage slope and replace any leftover fasteners with fresh stainless steel nails. 

Clean Up: Lastly, roofers haul all old materials away and conduct a final clean-up around the property. Magnet rollers pick up fallen nails. Areas get swept and sealed containers remove any small tear-off debris.

Conclusion

Storms often create roof chaos with cracked, missing or lifted shingles plus torn underlayment and flashings. It can slowly channel water inside. While some damage is visible, critical clues like dark streaks or nail pops escape notice.

Before secondary damage arises inside, homeowners benefit from hiring certified local roofers following severe weather. These experienced pros have an arsenal of repair expertise across all roofing materials from tile to membrane.

Licensed ones also navigate insurance claims for affordable coverage of damage. By leveraging their specialised storm damage knowledge, roofing crews patch or replace roof segments to keep the building sealed.