According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the largest hailstone to fall on Missouri was a six-inch diameter whopper that struck near Meadville (Linn County) in May of 2004. Hail two inches and larger is considered by the NWS to be of significant risk to life and property. For Kansas City-area residents, hail storm damage is more than an inconvenience. As a Kansas City Roofer we know that this type of storm can ruin your home and its belongings.
Hail Impact
Hail, unlike wind uplift or other storm damage, has unusual striking power. Hail storm damage can lead to divots in the shingles of your Kansas City-area home, each pockmark pooling water and letting it drip through to the sheathing or even into your home, to ruin ceilings and possessions.
After the Hail Storm
Regrettably, many unscrupulous roofing contractors will follow after hail storm damage, offering their services door to door to desperate Kansas City-area homeowners. They are preying on fears that each roof is no longer watertight. It may not be, but they are not the ones to fix it!
One despicable hail storm damage scam is getting a down payment to “lock in” services, since they are “so busy” with competing neighbors’ claims. Rely on a reputable, local roofing contractor with ties to the community and avoid being scammed.
Until the Roofing Contractor Arrives
A reliable, industry-recognized Kansas City Roofer will work with your insurance adjuster to replace your roof the right way as quickly as possible. Until then, you can help yourself with a few stopgap measures.
If you feel safe getting up on your roof, buy several tubes of transparent caulk and a heavy plastic tarp that can stretch up and over the ridge line of your roof. Before putting down the tarp, caulk anywhere you see hail damage. Be liberal—it is not for appearances and is a temporary patch.
Next, use a hammer tacker to staple the tarp over the ridge line and around its edges only (to avoid holes). This is unsightly but water resistant, and may prevent further water damage.
If water has come in through a ceiling, move all possessions and rugs out of the way. Put a kitchen-sized trashcan under the leak (small enough to lift to empty). If you own a portable dehumidifier, crank it up to high near the leak to prevent mold and mildew.
By following these tips, you can emerge hale and hearty from hail storm damage.
Turn to a local, reliable and trustworthy professional Kansas City Roofer when you suffer hail storm damage. Emergency roof repair is available at Bill West Roofing and we promise to respond to your emergency as soon as we possibly can.
