Can Atlanta Roof Hail Damage Result in Replacing an Entire Roof?

How much damage to your roof can come during a hail storm? In Georgia, hail storms are not that uncommon and many homeowners visually see hail several times during the year. That is the case in metro Atlanta, where the last few years have resulted in elevated hail activity. Most people are somewhat aware of the damage hail can cause, in particular the larger variety of hail that is notorious for damaging and denting cars. This awareness doesn’t always fully translate into the impact a hail storm can have on your home’s roof. While you can visually see the damage to your car after a hail storm, you can’t always see the damage to a roof. The damage you can’t see can put the longevity of your roof at risk. Roof replacement due to hail damage is one of the most expensive fixes for homeowners and insurance companies. Hail can vary in size dramatically, falling as small as the size of tiny pellets, or as large as baseballs. It is typically the larger hail that can cause enough damage to your asphalt roof to justify a roof replacement. Asphalt Roof Shingle Damage from Hail: Hail damage to asphalt roofs occur when hail beating against the surface of asphalt shingle results in the protective granular surface of the shingle to loosen and potentially fall off. When the granules are loosened, the asphalt shingles loses some of its protection potential and becomes vulnerable to additional damage. – Note: Damaged asphalt layers can potentially allow water seepage into the roof. – Tip: If the granules of an asphalt shingle are removed by a hail storm, the shingle’s longevity can be severely diminished. Signs of Hail Damage to an Asphalt Roof: – Bruises or small dents in the asphalt shingle – Granulation is displaced exposing the asphalt – Granulation has settled at the base of your downspouts – The spots hit by hail usually leave a soft spot in the shingle – Significantly damaged metal air vents on the roof indicate similar hit pattern for roof – Damage and denting of siding, or gutters If my Roof is damaged, how fast should I replace it? There is a misconception if your roof sustains damage from a hail storm that your roof needs to be replaced immediately. You’ll find some conflicting evidence online from other roofers that advise immediately replacing your roof. In Georgia for example, any reliable roofing contractor in Atlanta should tell you otherwise. Typically the damage sustained from a hail storm will pose no immediate threat to your roof. The threat is in the longevity of the roof, because hail can dramatically decrease a roof’s life expectancy. The deteriorated protection from a roof that is not expected to last its full life is why insurance companies will authorize the replacement of your roof. Will Homeowner’s Insurance Cover a New Roof? This answer varies by the coverage on your homeowner’s insurance policy. For some homeowners the answer is ?yes. ? If you believe your home has been the victim of hail, contact your insurance company to determine if your policy will cover the damage. For many homeowners they will be able to have the roof repaired, or replaced and will need to pay a deductable. – Tip: If you are unsure if you homeowner’s policy covers hail damage to your roof, contact your insurance company. Caution: Avoid Storm Chasers! Homeowners need to beware of ‘storm chasers. ‘ A storm chaser typically consists of an out of town roofing contractor that goes door to door after a hail storm soliciting for business. While it may seem tempting and convenient, these roofers can do more harm than good. Make sure any roofer you look to work with has a good reputation in the community. Look for a roofer that is located locally and check references. Look for references that are over a year old and ones that are more recent, within the last 30 days. Finally never give a deposit for a roof. A reliable roofer will only ask for payment once the roof has been complete. If you think your home has sustained roof hail damage, get a professional opinion. Experienced roofing contractors should be willing to provide free roofing estimates upon request.

Lack of Health Insurance Can Result in Serious Financial Hardship

Do I need health insurance?

This is a very important question to ask yourself because there are many who didn?t have health insurance and suffered serious financial hardships and even had to file bankruptcy due to an unexpected hospital visit.

Your health is the driving force of your life! If you became extremely ill for what ever reason, what would happen to you financially?

Unless you are one of those fortunate individuals who have set-up themselves nicely, I would imagine that your financial outlook could become quite grim.

Have you ever spent a few days lying in a hospital bed while the doctors ran tests? Well if you haven?t been fortunate enough to experience such a glorious and gratifying venture, let me inform you that just two days in a hospital can land you a $3,000 bill and higher in some cases!

Imagine paying $3. 00-$5. 00 for one Tylenol tablet. Where at Wal-Mart, you can get 30 for that amount! And by no means gash your head and have to get rushed to the emergency room for a few hours, you can be looking forward to a hefty $1,300 for that one! So again, the question is do I need health insurance?

A friend of mine, who established himself as an independent contractor, decided that it?s cheaper to pay for any medical expenses when needed rather than pay a monthly health insurance bill. His wife became pregnant and since he didn?t know anything about medical costs, he continued to go with his first thought of not buying health insurance.

A visit here and a visit there; $200 here and $400 there ? no big deal because he made pretty good money and carrying health insurance would have cost him about $300-$500 a month for his entire family. Nine months later, his baby boy was born and he received a nice $18,000 hospital bill as a token of appreciation for bringing a new life into the world we live.

Yes, he learned the hard way as to the importance of health insurance. Luckily for him however, he?s fortunate to make a very good living so it didn?t destroy him financially, but there are many people and families that have been destroyed financially due to unexpected high medical bills.

If you are a heavy smoker or drinker, or someone who lives an adventurous life such as: rock climbing, jet skiing, sky diving, skateboarding, motocross or playing an extreme sport ? make sure that you are carrying some type of health insurance or else you can be in for a serious financial hardship.