About Bryjo
Q: What does hail damage look like?
A: This is one example on a lighter color roof. A darker color shingle may be more difficult to determine. A professional roofer could make that assessment.

Q: Would additional roof ventilation lower my utility bills?
A: Yes. Hot stale air gets trapped and builds up in the attic. The hotter your attic gets, the harder your air conditioning unit has to work to cool your home. As a result, your utility bill reflects how hard your a/c unit is functioning. Once you have properly installed roof ventilation and soffit ventilation this allows the hot stale air to escape the attic. Bottom line- your utility bill should reflect the decreased usage of the a/c unit. There are other options in addition to roof ventilation that can lower your utility costs.

Q: What do I do about my deductible?
A: Your deductible is part of the contract you have with your insurance company. We all pay our deductibles. If you are offered a deductible discount or comparative waiver, then that means you will be committing fraud with your insurance company (see deductible section of our Roofing Category) and you will likely suffer in quality labor or service with the company you contract to do the work. Can you absorb my deductible?

Q: Why should I consider a Class 4 Shingle?
A: Many of you have heard about Class 4 or “Impact Resistant” shingles for the first time since the Hail Storms of 2003. Actually, Class 4 products have been manufactured for years. The newest products in the Class 4 market are composition shingles. These composition shingles carry a 40-50 year manufacturer’s warranty. They appear to look like a 40 year dimensional shingle, however, the Class 4 products undergo a series of tests specific to wind/ rain and hail resistance in the testing stage. Each manufacturer has patented their own material structure for the impact resistant shingle. The manufacturers we recommend in this category are:

      Malarky Legacy
      Owens Corning Weatherguard HP
      Certainteed Landmark IR
      Prestique ELK XTRA

There are other Class 4 products that have been on the market for years. Some of those products are:

      Stone Coated Steel
      Cementitious Tiles/ Shakes
      Composite Slate/Shake/Tile

Please note: If you are considering installing this product on your roof, call your insurance agent. Many insurance companies are currently giving homeowners a discount on their homeowners insurance premium for installing this product on their roof. It may take some homeowners 4-6 years to break even on the out of pocket upgrade cost, depending on the insurance carrier.

Q: If we have a roof leak, will a little roofing tar or roofing cement stop the leak?
A: Not all roof leaks can be fixed with sealant . It is only a band-aid not the solution to the problem. A qualified roofing technician will be able to determine the proper method of repair.  It is our preference to repair a roof leak with solid materials rather than something that comes out of a tube or can. There are circumstances where applying sealant properly is adequate, however, in those situations, it is not necessarily what you seal a roof leak with, but how you seal it that is important.

Leak DetectionQ: How can I tell the difference between a shower pan leak verses a maintenance issue?
A: A leak detection test must be performed. This is what a leak detection test looks like. When a water is trapped in the stall and the floor outside the stall starts to saturate, it is commonly indicative of a shower pan leak.

Insurance Claims
"IF YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED A PROPERTY DAMAGE LOSS:"

1) Contact your insurance company promptly and give them as many facts as you can regarding the damage.

2) Mitigate your damages.

3) You should be contacted by an adjuster from the insurance company within 48 hours, to make an appointment to inspect the damages.

4) The insurance company has 15 days to inform you in writing of the approval or denial of the claim. If they need to do further investigation, they will notify you at that time. If they approve the loss for coverage, they will supply you with a line item breakdown of the cost of repairs that they believe are necessary to return your property to its condition prior to the loss. Along with the itemized breakdown will likely come a check for their evaluation of the cost of repairs less your deductible and depreciation. If you do not receive a check with the letter, the insurance company must send you a check within 5 days of the letter.

5) Obtain your own estimate or estimates for the repairs. It would be to your benefit to obtain an estimate from a local contractor to compare with the estimate the insurance company has provided to you.

6) You have 365 days from the date of loss to make the necessary repairs. If you cannot get the repairs completed within that time from, you may in writing, request to extend for an additional 180 days.

Insurance Claims can proceed very smoothly, when handled professionally and efficiently. Sometimes an insurance claim can seem traumatic or invasive when it involves the interior portion of your home. You have to keep in mind that the degree of ‘invasion’ you will experience from a contractor to make your repairs depends upon the kind of damage and location of the damage.