6 Things to Do After a Roofing Emergency
There are many types of roofing emergencies, but all of them have one or both of the following in common: they compromise the safety of individuals or impact your operations. Roofing emergencies result from weather, neglect, or other man-made causes. Examples include:
- Roof blow-off during a tornado, hurricane, or high winds or from implosions, explosions, and over-pressurization of the building.
- Roof collapse from record snowfall or ponding water that can’t drain because of a clog.
- Obsolete equipment that is blown all over the roof causing massive leaks.
It’s important to know what to do when one of these disasters strikes. Here’s a game plan so you’re ready.
No. 1 Have a roofer before an emergency occurs.
Selecting a roofing contractor before a dire situation will ensure you don’t just hire anyone – you hire the right contractor. When talking with potential contractors, ask about how quickly they can respond, whether they will have access to the materials necessary to make an emergency repair, are an authorized installer of the roof system currently installed, etc.
No. 2 Collect information about the damage.
Assess the damage and if it’s possible, take photos. Measure, or if unsafe to do so, estimate the dimensions of the damage. Know the roof height and access points. Review what type of roof system was installed.
No. 3 Establish the severity of the damage.
Are you having to stop production lines or relocate people? Are you concerned about liability because the area is unsafe? Knowing how urgent the need is for roofing work will help you determine when and how repairs should be performed and by whom.
No. 4 Contact your roofing contractor immediately.
Don’t wait, even if the situation isn’t critical. Use the emergency contact number if it is after hours or on the weekend. The sooner you make a roofing contractor aware of your need, the more quickly they can realign resources and spring into action.
No. 5 Share as much as you can with your contractor.
In order to respond appropriately, your roofing contractor is going to need the photos and information you collected to determine:
- Whether repair is practical or if replacement is necessary.
- What materials (and the amount) to bring to the jobsite.
- Whether a generator is required as a power source.
- How soon you want the work completed. (Is it urgent enough to pay overtime for a weekend repair? Can the contractor pull guys off another project to expedite yours?)
- The number of crew members required to fix the problem in the time you desire.
No. 6 Proceed with caution.
Beware of storm chasers, who are often scammers looking to prey on your urgent needs by providing substandard workmanship. Equally as worrisome are quick fixes; you should be leery of any contractor that performs the repair without a thorough evaluation.
Thinking about implementing a do-it-yourself temporary solution? Just know that you’ll have to pay a contractor to undo what you’ve done before proper repairs are executed. And as always, never put yourself in danger on the roof.
Got an unexpected roofing emergency? Contact us!
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