Insurance Roof Replacement in Pittsburgh, PA: What to Do After Storm Damage

A storm comes through Pittsburgh and the next morning you find a couple shingles in the yard. Maybe the gutters took a beating or you can see something on the roof that wasn't there before.

Now what?

A lot of homeowners aren't sure. You don't know if you're looking at a fairly simple repair, enough damage for a roof replacement or something that should be reported to your insurance company.

At Legacy Roofing & Restoration, we work with Pittsburgh-area homeowners dealing with storm-damaged roofs and insurance restoration. We've been through this process before, and we know it can be confusing when it's your house and you're trying to figure out what to do next.

Usually, the best place to start is pretty simple. Get the roof looked at and find out what's actually damaged.

First, Let's See What Happened to the Roof

You can't tell much about a roof from the driveway. Sometimes storm damage is obvious. There are shingles missing, a branch came down or you've already found a leak. But we've also inspected roofs where the homeowner didn't see much of anything from the ground.

Wind can lift shingles without completely tearing them off. Hail can leave damage behind that's tough to spot unless you're up on the roof looking for it. We also check flashing, vents and other areas where storm damage can cause trouble later. During the inspection, we'll take a look at the roof and document what we find. It may need a repair. It may have enough damage that replacement needs to be discussed. Or we may find that the roof handled the storm just fine. We'd rather figure that out first.

What If You Need to File an Insurance Claim?

Most homeowners don't file roof claims very often, so it's normal to have questions about how the process works.

If we find damage that appears to be related to wind, hail or another storm event, we'll show you what we're seeing and document the affected areas. If you decide to file a claim, you'll contact your insurance company and they'll typically schedule an adjuster to inspect the property. If you've never gone through this before, having your roofer there when the adjuster comes out can be helpful.

When needed, Legacy Roofing & Restoration can meet with the insurance adjuster at your home. We can walk the roof, point out the damage we've found and provide the roofing documentation related to the project. The insurance company ultimately determines what your policy covers. Our job is to make sure the roofing damage we've found is properly documented and to handle the roofing side of the project.

Will Insurance Pay for the Entire Roof?

That's one of the first questions homeowners ask us, and there isn't one answer that applies to everybody.

It depends on your policy, what caused the damage, the condition of the roof and what the insurance company determines during the claim. There's also a difference between a roof that's simply old and a roof that's been damaged by a storm.

If shingles have worn out after years of exposure to Pittsburgh weather, that's different from damage caused by a recent hail or wind event. That's why figuring out the cause of the problem matters. We won't tell you an insurance company is going to buy you a new roof before they've even looked at the claim. We'll tell you what we found on the roof.

When Roof Replacement Is Needed

If the damage is extensive and the roof replacement is moving forward, we'll go over the project with you before work begins. That includes the roofing materials, what needs to be removed and replaced and what you can expect while we're working on the house.

Storms can also do more than damage shingles.

We often look at the gutters and siding while we're inspecting the property because wind and hail don't exactly pick one part of the house to hit. A roof may have damage while the gutters are dented or siding has taken a hit too.

Legacy Roofing & Restoration provides roof replacement, roof repair, siding and gutter services, so if there are other exterior issues, we can address those as part of the restoration work.

Don't Wait for Water to Come Through the Ceiling

This is probably the biggest thing we'd tell homeowners after a strong Pittsburgh storm.

A roof doesn't have to be leaking today to have a problem. A lifted shingle or damaged area may not let water in during the first rain. The problem can show up later, sometimes after another round of bad weather.

If you've had hail, high winds or a particularly rough storm in your neighborhood, take a look around the property. Check for shingles on the ground, dented gutters, damaged siding and fallen limbs.

If something doesn't look right, or you simply want to know how the roof held up, have it inspected.

Insurance Roof Replacement in Pittsburgh, PA

Legacy Roofing & Restoration provides free professional roof inspections and estimates for homeowners throughout Greater Pittsburgh. We're licensed and insured in Pennsylvania and experienced with storm damage, insurance restoration, roof repairs and complete roof replacements.

We're not going to decide you need a new roof before we get up there.

We'll inspect it, document what we find and explain what's going on. From there, you'll have a much better idea of what needs to happen next.

Legacy Roofing & Restoration(412) 754-3877 https://www.legacyroofing412.com/

If you think the last storm may have damaged your roof, give us a call and we'll come out and take a look.