THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM: PREPARING YOUR ROOF AGAINST HAILSTORMS

3/19/2021 (Permalink)

While the Spring season in Texas equals great temperature and fun outdoorsy activities, consider yourself warned. March begins the yearly hail season—ice as big as golf balls wreak havoc by causing leaky roofs, dented siding, and accidents if you’re caught outside during a storm.

NOAA’s Severe Storms database records over 5,396 major hail storms by last year, 2019. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, Storm Prediction Center, National Weather Service, Texas ranks first at the Top Five States By Number Of Major Hail Events. For hail-prone areas, it’s best to be ready for any circumstances that could happen.

Once the storm starts, there is pretty much nothing you can do except to stay inside. It’s safer to double-check everything beforehand, including the things that you can minimize damage to. Safe-proof your home before hail season starts and take precautions that could help lessen the damages.

For everyone’s safety, stay indoors. Pay attention to weather reports to be prepared and shop for groceries, flashlights, and batteries. Close your doors and windows and stay away because of the risks of flying glass.

GUTTER CHECK!

Drains and gutters could easily be filled by fallen leaves, debris from trees, and hailstones. They stop water flow due to clogging and cause damage due to the lack of proper drainage. As a solution, drain these areas. Keep your gutters free from debris that could cause water to back up and potentially cause leaks in the future. This is to ensure that water could drain normally.

MAINTAIN YOUR LAWN.

Amid a really bad hail storm, branches and plants can pose a threat to your home. Tree branches could hit your windows and shutter glass. For safety reasons, trim tree and shrub branches that could potentially cause extensive damage to your property. Maintaining your lawn helps eliminate the risks of the upcoming storm.

TAKE YOUR STUFF INDOORS.

Branches and shrubs aren’t the only things that pose a threat to your windows. If possible, take your outdoor furniture and decoration indoors to avoid them becoming hailstone targets and projectiles.

A HAND IN REPAIRS: YOUR INSURANCE POLICY.

After the storm and the damage has been done, check in with your insurance company before authorizing repair work needed. Document the damages and call the company as soon as possible.

INSPECT YOUR ROOF (DO IT PERSONALLY, OR GET A SECOND OPINION).

Before anything else, contacting a professional roofing company to inspect your roof and prepare you against the future dangers of the storm might be better.

Your roof protects you against heavy rain and the scorching sun. It also protects you against hailstones. As it is everyone’s first line of defense against the hail season, repairs are a must. Make sure to inspect your roof regularly. Check for loose or missing shingles and have them repaired as soon as possible to prevent future problems. Loose shingles could cause possible leaking due to the upcoming hail season. If there are small dents in the area, have them inspected. Or consider improving your current option to a material that’s much more resistant.