For the last 30 years, it’s become more common for homeowners to be duped into committing insurance fraud through a roofing contractor’s promise of a free roof or a waived deductible. A statute was passed in 1989 to end this practice but it was poorly worded, rarely enforced and largely ignored by contractors.  Continue reading “No More Waiving Deductibles for Roof Claims in Texas” →

Your roof is essential to the safety and security of your home. That’s why you should get it fixed as soon as you discover any damage.

Continue reading “Why You Should Fix a Hail-Damaged Roof ASAP” →

Depending on how strong it is, wind can cause some serious roof damage.  Combined with other weather conditions that often co-occur such as rainfall and hail, it can be devastating to a roofing system, sending shingles and other debris flying onto your property and leaving your home vulnerable to leaks and other problems.  The aftermath of wind and storm damage can be hard to deal with, especially given the urgent nature of this type of roof replacement or roof repair.

While it may sound comforting that forecasters are predicting a 40 percent chance of a normal hurricane season, don’t relax too much. Experts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) say that we will likely see 10 – 16 named storms, 5 – 9 hurricanes and 1 – 4 major hurricanes.

We live in a part of the state that doesn’t sustain direct hits like the coastal areas do, but we can be affected by the tremendous amounts of rain and the high winds from storms that strike the Gulf coast, as we saw last year when Harvey made landfall and stalled. Hurricanes can also generate tornados. The National Weather Service reports tornadoes associated with Hurricane Allen, 1980, caused $100 million dollars in damages to the Austin, Texas area.
PropertyCasualty360, an insurance industry website provided the following tips to prepare your property for potential flooding:

• Review your property insurance policy, especially the “declarations” page, and check whether your policy pays replacement costs or actual cash value for a covered loss.
• Inventory your household items, and photograph or videotape them for further documentation. Keep this information and your insurance policies in a safe place.
• Keep the name, address and claims-reporting telephone number of your insurer and agent in a safe and easily accessible place.
• Protect your property by covering all windows with plywood or shutters, moving vehicles into the garage when possible and placing grills and patio furniture indoors.
• Keep all receipts for any repairs so your insurance company can reimburse you.
• Check with your insurance adjuster for referrals to professional restoration, cleaning and salvage companies if additional assistance is needed.

Lastly and most importantly is to do your research now, before the storm hits, to identify a trusted, licensed contractor now. Once a storm has moved through, time is of the essence in repairing damage to your home.
We’re ready to provide you with a free inspection and repair or replacement recommendations. Request your free inspection today.

If your home or property is in the path of a hail storm, be sure to do these three things immediately afterwards.

Spring is here and that means so is storm season. Many of those storms will contain hail. If you’ve just experienced a spring storm that dropped potentially property damaging hail stones, it’s important that you know what to do next.

1 – Exterior inspection
Once the storm has passed, go outside and look for hailstones in your yard, take a photo of the hail and put the biggest one you see in your freezer. Next, look around your home for granules that may have been knocked off the shingles by the hail.
Check your gutters for granules as well. Putting your cell phone on a selfie stick is a great idea to extend your reach and allow you to see what is going on with your gutters without having to leave the ground.
While looking for granules, see if the gutters sustained any dents from the hail. Continue your property inspection and note if there is any damage to your siding, your window screens or the fins on your air conditioner unit.
While staying safely on the ground, try see if there is obvious damage to your roof. Here is where you could put that drone that you got for Christmas to use – just fly on up and take a few pictures of different parts of your roof.
2 – Call a professional, licensed roofing contractor
After your inspection, if you think that your roof may have sustained damage call a professional roofing contractor who is licensed by the Roofing Contractors Association of Texas AND is Haag certified to detect storm damage. Many times, damage can be hidden and is not always visible to the untrained eye. At Texas Traditions Roofing, we are RCAT licensed, Haag certified and happy to perform a free storm damage assessment.
3 – Contact your insurance company
Contact your insurance carrier and let them know that you experienced damage following a hail storm. It’s important that you know your rights as the policyholder. With all the storms in the past year, we are hearing more and more from homeowners who are telling us that some insurance companies are no longer sending adjusters to estimate the cost of repairs. Rather, they instruct the homeowner to obtain and submit three bids. Be aware that the lowest bid may not be the best one for a complete roof system for your home and may not deliver the best workmanship.
Do your homework, get references and don’t be afraid to ask the insurance company to work with the contractor that is the best fit for you. Contact us today for a free post-storm damage inspection.