Having repairs done to your home after a severe storm can be super

stressful if you don't know how the process works. It can all be

overwhelming when dealing with insurance claims, damage control, and

policies. Recruiting a contractor that makes sure to take care of any

prevention for further property damage is a huge thing to consider.

There are usually 5 precautions that reputable roofing contractors will take

to avoid more property damage

1. Special Protective Equipment

With there being many types of equipment contractors can use to

protect your property, Southern Star Roofing, and Seamless Gutters

use tarps to protect the surroundings of your home like your windows,

vegetation, and garage doors. This keeps roofing debris from causing

damage during the roofing installation.

2. Durable Shingle Options

There are two main types of shingles: oxidized asphalt and

polymer-modified shingles

Asphalt shingles are the most common type that is used in the

process. We recommend your contractor use architectural (aka:

dimensional or laminated) shingles over the 3-tab shingles due to

their overlapping formation on the roof making them more resistant to

wind and hail damage and they also have a better manufacturer

warranty. The wind rating on the architectural shingles can stand up

to 110 to 130 mph (depending on thickness and weather) and they

usually have a 30-50- year lifespan. The older 3- tab shingles usually

only have a 20-25 year lifespan with a wind rating of maybe 60 mph.

The price difference between the two is small so you might as well go

for the one that is better quality.

Polymer-modified shingles look nearly identical to asphalt shingles

except for them being of much higher material quality. The inside is

made of rubber material that is more flexible and impact-resistant to

protect against hail, falling debris, etc. With this being a higher quality

shingle your insurance policy probably won't want to cover the entire

cost, but we still recommend installing it because:

1. Not having a higher-impact shingle puts you at a larger risk for

storm damage which makes it more likely for you to have to

make an insurance claim typically requiring you to pay your

deductible anyway.

2. Most insurance companies will offer you a discount for choosing

this shingle (usually up to 20% off). Make sure to confirm the

discount with your insurance agent before you choose these

shingles.

Choosing to install a higher-quality shingle, allows your contractor to

better help protect your home from future damages.

3. Offer warranties on new installs

There are a few types of warranties that we recommend you become

familiar with so that you are informed of all your options!

- Manufacturer/ Material Warranties

Make sure your contractor goes over this with you and have them explain

the materials he plans on using. Each manufacturer has their own

guidelines about what falls under their warranties and for how long. Also,

what would VOID their warranty? Your contractor is responsible for

following all instructions from the manufacturer to ensure that the warranty

isn't violated so it can remain valid after installation.

Get familiar with the warranty so you are aware of what the requirements

are. Also, get confirmation from your contractor that they have been

certified for the shingle type as it allows for upgraded warranties. These

types will be more likely to follow the manufacturer's installation

requirements.

- Workmanship Warranty

This is for the quality of the contractor’s workmanship. This is usually a

timed warranty that a contracting company will put in place to guarantee

free repairs for a certain amount of time on their work. We offer a 3-year

warranty on our gutter installs and a 10-year warranty for our roofs. This

allows time for you to notice any problems that could happen over time

from natural causes that you may not have seen in the beginning.

4. Annual roof inspections

We offer free annual roofing inspections! Even if you can't see any damage

or think that there isn't any, it’s a good idea to get it professionally checked

out just to be safe. You do not want to wait until you SEE the damage

because then it might be too late and now you're facing more extensive and

expensive repairs. Being proactive and scheduling yearly roof maintenance

will always be the better and cheaper option.

5. Having reputable experience

We pride ourselves on being knowledgeable and having experience in this

industry. It’s always a good sign when you can trust that your contractors

know what they're doing, what to look for, and aren't trying to cheat or scam

you to make the biggest dollar.

It is vital to have a contractor that is willing to help you with the insurance

claim process and one that will be on your team and advocate for you

instead of taking the lowest estimate insurance provides. You should be

confident that your contractor has experience in working with the insurance

providers in the roofing jobs that deal with storm damage.

Also, a good thing to note is the quality of your contractor’s reputation

within the community. Making sure they are reputable and stable so that if

you need to use their warranty, you are confident that they will come

through.