How does a hurricane damage a roof differently from an ordinary storm?
Its sustained wind and gusts lift whole sections and bend metal at its edges, and its rain is driven into any joint the wind has opened.
An ordinary storm lifts edges and drives rain in at weak points. A hurricane's wind lasts longer and gusts harder, so it can lift a whole section of covering, pull decking from its fixings and bend flashing out of line. The rain that follows is driven sideways into those openings, which is why the first leak often shows after the wind has passed.
The FACTS sheet records Isabel's gusts across Hampton Roads, and a roof in this area should be checked against the pattern that event left, not against an ordinary storm.
- Whole sections of covering lifted
- Metal bent at edges and joints
- Rain driven into openings after the wind
Why is the record needed for a hurricane claim?
Because the damage is wide, the claim depends on showing what the wind did and what it did not, and the record is what the insurer reads first.
After a hurricane the scene changes quickly. Debris is moved, tarps go on and neighbours clear their yards. A record made on the day, before clearing begins, shows the direction of the wind and the pattern of the damage, and it is the strongest evidence a homeowner can keep.
The record includes a sketch with the damaged slopes marked, the photographs with their positions and a list of items found but not yet repaired. The Virginia Bureau of Insurance takes complaints about claims, and the record is what makes a complaint specific.
- A sketch with damaged slopes marked
- Photographs with position and date
- A list of items found but not yet repaired
What can be repaired and what should be replaced?
Sections of covering and single flashing pieces can often be repaired. Decking that has split or pulled, and framing that has shifted, is usually replaced or strengthened.
Repair is the right answer where the covering can be lifted and replaced in sections and the decking beneath is sound. Replacement is the right answer where the decking has split, where the covering is too brittle to lift or where most of one slope is gone.
Shifted framing needs an engineer's look before new covering goes on. The roofer names that step in the scope rather than assuming the framing is sound.
- Sound decking with lifted covering: repair in sections
- Split decking or brittle covering: replace the section
- Shifted framing: engineer's look before the covering
What the written scope should say
Each damaged area, the repair or replacement for it, the material, the decking allowance, the flashing lines and the test after the work, each tied to the record.
A hurricane scope should name each slope and area, the repair made in it and the material used. Decking is a separate line priced per sheet, so the homeowner can see what a hidden problem costs. Flashing and ridge work are separate lines too.
The scope also states what was found and not repaired, and why, so the next roofer knows what was done and what remains.
- Each slope and area named
- Decking as a separate line priced per sheet
- Items found but not repaired, named with the reason
