Storms leave your trees susceptible to losing
limbs & branches, which could end up on your roof. Tree limbs can cause
extensive damage to your roof when they puncture through your shingles. This can
also be a terrifying experience if you're inside your home when this happens.
It's important to know how to handle this situation if it ever happens to you.
Continue reading to learn what to do if a tree has made a hole in your roof.
Evacuate To Safety
If you're in your home when a tree limb falls
on your home, you need to evacuate yourself, your family, and your pets. If
your home shares a roof with another building, try to alert your neighbors of
the tree limb and tell them they need to evacuate. While this may seem extreme,
a tree limb falling on your roof can cause structural damage just on the
initial impact. However, as the tree limb sits on the roof, the structural
integrity of your home weakens and could cause your roof to collapse.
Call 911
Once you have moved to safety, call 911.
Police and the fire department will respond to see what can be done to help
you, your family, and your home. They will assess the damage and see if
anything can be done to help the integrity of your home. First responders will
also be able to remove any hazardous debris, place caution tape, and block off
any roads or sidewalks that have tree debris.
Call Your Home Insurance Company
Once you have evacuated and first responders
have done what they can to help, it's time to call your home insurance company.
During your call, let them know what happened and ask for the next steps that you
need to take. Your coverage of the damage depends on what exactly caused the
damage, but most home insurance policies do cover tree damage.
If the tree that fell on your home was on your
neighbor's property, you may be wondering if your home insurance will still
cover the damages. Luckily for you, most insurance companies will still cover
the damage that your home incurred.
Once you have the correct information about
your deductible and what coverage you will receive for the damage, you can file
a claim with your insurance company. Your insurance claim helps cover most of
the roof repair costs. Your claim should also cover a portion of the costs
associated with the tree removal.
Find A Roofing Contractor
To fix any damage the tree limb has caused to
your roof, you will need to have a trustworthy roofing contractor on your side.
Here at ARAC Roof It Forward, we offer a free video roof inspection so we can
assess the damage the tree limb has caused. After the inspection, we will show
you the damage, review your repair options, and provide a cost estimate. With
almost 20 years of experience, our Roof It Forward team can swiftly and
effectively fix your roof to bring it back to mint condition. We also work with
your insurance company so you don't have to. Schedule your free video
inspection today.
