If you’ve been affected by storms in the southern Texas area, you know as well as the next person that hail can be a serious issue in this part of the country. Strong storms are brought about seasonally in these parts and can cause serious damage to your home, your foundation and your gutter system. All three of these can lead to costly repairs later down the line, whether it’s roof repairs or foundation repairs. Below we’ll give you a few tips on how to compensate for hail damage when it happens and what you can do to prevent it in the first place.
Take Down Damaged Gutters
It’s important to take care of any damaged gutters that may be hanging from your roof line. These gutter channels can fall and permanently damage your home and cause more problems, or at the very least cause a costly repair bill. Instead of letting your gutters hang from the roof line, once a hail storm is stopped you should gently take the gutter down and lay it in an isolated area to avoid anyone accidentally tripping over the channel or vehicles running over it. If the piece is not reusable you can even throw the pieces into a dumpster.
Inspect The Area For Damage
There are several different things that you can look for in your gutter system that may be signs of significant damage and potential warning signs for your gutter to be replaced. Some of these signs may include gaps, standing water, cracks, sagging gutters and unexplained screws or nails on the ground around your gutter system or in your lawn. If you notice that your gutters are beginning to sag and have gaps where your gutter brackets are coming loose, either from your roof line or from other brackets, this could be a warning sign that your gutter system is about to fall. It’s important to take these gutter channels down before any further issues come to surface. You can unmount most gutter channels by unscrewing the tight screws located on the joints and near the roof line of your home.
Install Heavy-Duty Gutters
When you’re dealing with the aftermath of hail damage, you’ll want to ensure that your gutter is replaced by copper or steel gutter systems to prevent further damages from occurring. Copper and steel are great at protecting your home from the impacts of hail.
Contact Your Insurance Agency
Once a hail storm is over with, it’s important to inspect the damages that have occurred to your home and contact you insurance agent as fast as possible to see what can be done about your gutters. It’s important to do this as soon as possible, as you’ll be competing with other homeowners who have experienced the same issue. It’s critical to act quickly and report your issue so you have a better chance of getting your home repaired in a timely issue through the insurance company. Your home is important and should be a high priority on your list.
