How to Prepare an Emergency Roofing Plan

Emergency repairs are to be expected during the course of a roof’s life span, and having an emergency plan can make handling such situations a lot easier. In today’s post, local residential and commercial roofing company US Roofing shares a quick guide to preparing your own emergency roofing plan.

Why Do You Need an Emergency Plan?

As with all manner of emergencies, roofing emergencies need to be handled quickly and efficiently. Not having an emergency plan could result in delays in filing an insurance claim that, in turn, can delay roof repairs. On commercial properties, delays can cost revenue. For homeowners, the absence of an emergency plan may also increase stress and frustration associated with handling damaged property. Having an emergency plan will help make sure that the claims and repair processes are done with minimal delays.

What Should You Have in Your Roofing Emergency Plan?

There is no single standard emergency plan because of factors such as the type of roofing, local climate and availability of local residential roofing contractors. However, there are a few tasks that should be included in your emergency roofing plan:

• Perform a visual inspection. Once the weather has cleared, you should inspect the roof visually and try to find any apparent damage, paying special attention to the roof’s edges and components such as flashing. It’s important to note that you should only be doing a visual inspection and avoid climbing the roof or going near downed power lines.
• Schedule a roofing inspection. Your first call should go to your roofing contractor. A professional roofing inspection is necessary for documenting the extent of the roofing damage, which is necessary for drawing an estimate of the repair cost.
• Contact your insurance provider. Your insurance provider will send an agent to inspect your roof independently and prepare the needed documentation to file a claim. They will ask your roofer for the damage report and roof repair estimate as part of the claim documentation. Once your claim is approved, your insurance provider will coordinate with your roofer to get repairs started.

US Roofing is a leading provider of roofing services — including seasonal roof jobs like spring maintenance — to communities in New England. Give us a call at (978) 532-6300 or fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment.