FAQ
The FAQ or Frequently Asked Questions page is the page we use to post questions from our customers and visitors. We try to answer the
most common questions we receive through this web site or by phone. If you don't find your answer here please give us a call.
What does hail do to my roof and why will my insurance company pay to replace my roof?
Hail damages the shingle mat, which holds the granules that protect the mat from the elements. As the shingle expands and contracts, it will
lose granules, thus exposing the mat, which in turn dries out and allows moisture to enter causing leaks and a eventual complete roof system
failure.
Why does the insurance company want me to get three estimates?
Although not all insurance companies continue to use this practice, a few still do. If you find yours does, it is in your insurance companies
best interest to save money by having you do the shopping for them. The fact is that all insurance companies must pay fair market value to a
local reputable contractor to have your roof replaced. Beware of storm chasers, they typically do not warranty their work. Once the work is
complete they move on to the next storm.
How I do I know if I have hail damage to my roof? Can I tell from the ground?
If you've had hail in your area, to determine if the shingles have been damaged a close inspection of the shingles has to be made from the
roof. Usually you cannot tell from the ground. Give us a call at 1-855-ROOF-TEX or 512-267-7733 and we will provide a complete evaluation.
If I think I have hail damage what should I do?
Call Eminence Roofing at 1-855-ROOF-TEX or 512-267-7733 for an initial inspection. If we feel your property warrants a claim we have you
then call your insurance company and ask for an adjuster to come inspect your roof for hail damage. Call and have us meet your adjuster at
the inspection. This way we can help to ensure that you will be compensated for all damage to your property. If there are any discrepancies
between the adjuster's findings and the roofer's findings you may call for a "RE-INSPECTION" where your adjuster meets with the roofer to go
over the roof again. Re-inspections are very common and you can even ask for a different adjuster.
The insurance company must determine two things when assessing the amount of your loss:
Was there sufficient damage to the roof to declare it a total loss?
What is the size of the roof and how many shingles will be needed to replace the roof
What does hail do to a roof?
Shingles are designed so that the granules block the UV of the sun and protect the asphalt underlayment. As the shingles age the granules
fall off over time. As the asphalt is exposed the UV, it dries out and the shingle gets a "potato chip" appearance as the corners start to curl up.
A shingle at the extreme end of its life is bubbled in appearance and is brittle to the touch. A 20-year shingle is warranted by the manufacturer
to have a useful life, under optimal ventilation conditions, of 20 years. Hail does several things:
Accelerates granule loss.
Accelerates shingle aging.
Voids manufacturer's warranties.
Leads to other associated problems.
Do I need to get my roof replaced right away?
The insidious nature of hail damage is that it may pose no immediate threat to the structural integrity of the roof. However, many insurance
companies have a "statute of limitations" of how long a hail claim is viable. If you have experienced a loss such as hail damage it is prudent to
take care of the problem in a timely manner before it leads to other associated problems.
What does hail hit look like?
A hail hit on a shingle looks like a "bruise" or a dark spot where the granules on the shingle have been knocked off and the asphalt
underlayment and sometimes the fiberglass mat is exposed. New hail hits will have a shiny appearance because the asphalt has been freshly
exposed and has not had time to weather to a dull color.
Why would my insurance company replace my roof?
The purpose of home owner's insurance is to protect homeowners against losses in their property's value due to damage that is beyond their
control.
If you have hail damage, you have experienced a financial loss in that your original investment of a 20-year roof (for example) has now been
reduced to a 5-10 year useful life span. Your insurance company will compensate you for your loss and replace your roof.
Why does the estimate read that there are more shingles to replace then there are to remove?
The amount of shingles to remove from your roof is the actual amount of square feet that it takes to shingle your roof. However, when putting
on shingles, some shingles have to be cut to fit dimensions, ridges, hips and valleys. An insurance company typically adds 10% to regular
ridge roofs and 15% to hip and ridge roofs to account for the loss of shingles.
My gutters and siding were damaged and the insurance company paid me for how many linear feet had to be replaced.
When I called a contractor they had a minimum fee which was far in excess of the small amount the insurance
company paid me. What can I do?
Your insurance company understands minimum charges such as these and has set prices they are prepared to pay as minimum charges for
all trades. They do not give you the minimum charge up front because such a large percentage of their customers never call a contractor and
just pocket the money. If you call your adjuster and ask for the minimum charge for the work, they will pay it without any hesitation.
In my adjustment, my insurance company deducted some money for depreciation, what is that all about?
Different insurance companies call the amount that they hold back different things. Some call it depreciation; other companies figure it in as a
dump and removal fee. What it represents is the amount of money the company will hold back until they receive a signed contract from you
and a contractor for the work. When they receive a signed contract, you will receive another check for the amount they have held back.
My insurance adjuster said there was no hail damage on his first inspection, I asked our estimator to call and request a
walk through a re-inspection. On the re-inspection the adjuster concluded that there was hail damage and "totaled"
the roof. Why such a dramatic turn around?
There are many different reasons that this happens so often. Sometimes adjusters get to a roof too soon after the actual damage and the hits
haven't had a chance to weather yet. Sometimes the adjusters are inexperienced. Sometimes they were tired after looking at so many roofs
that day. Sometimes they just make mistakes. The best results for the benefit of homeowner seem to be obtained when an experienced roofer
walks through the inspection with the insurance adjuster and calls to the adjuster's attention any damage that he sees.
The FAQ or Frequently Asked Questions page is the page we use to post questions from our customers and visitors. We try to answer the
most common questions we receive through this web site or by phone. If you don't find your answer here please give us a call.
What does hail do to my roof and why will my insurance company pay to replace my roof?
Hail damages the shingle mat, which holds the granules that protect the mat from the elements. As the shingle expands and contracts, it will
lose granules, thus exposing the mat, which in turn dries out and allows moisture to enter causing leaks and a eventual complete roof system
failure.
Why does the insurance company want me to get three estimates?
Although not all insurance companies continue to use this practice, a few still do. If you find yours does, it is in your insurance companies
best interest to save money by having you do the shopping for them. The fact is that all insurance companies must pay fair market value to a
local reputable contractor to have your roof replaced. Beware of storm chasers, they typically do not warranty their work. Once the work is
complete they move on to the next storm.
How I do I know if I have hail damage to my roof? Can I tell from the ground?
If you've had hail in your area, to determine if the shingles have been damaged a close inspection of the shingles has to be made from the
roof. Usually you cannot tell from the ground. Give us a call at 1-855-ROOF-TEX or 512-267-7733 and we will provide a complete evaluation.
If I think I have hail damage what should I do?
Call Eminence Roofing at 1-855-ROOF-TEX or 512-267-7733 for an initial inspection. If we feel your property warrants a claim we have you
then call your insurance company and ask for an adjuster to come inspect your roof for hail damage. Call and have us meet your adjuster at
the inspection. This way we can help to ensure that you will be compensated for all damage to your property. If there are any discrepancies
between the adjuster's findings and the roofer's findings you may call for a "RE-INSPECTION" where your adjuster meets with the roofer to go
over the roof again. Re-inspections are very common and you can even ask for a different adjuster.
The insurance company must determine two things when assessing the amount of your loss:
Was there sufficient damage to the roof to declare it a total loss?
What is the size of the roof and how many shingles will be needed to replace the roof
What does hail do to a roof?
Shingles are designed so that the granules block the UV of the sun and protect the asphalt underlayment. As the shingles age the granules
fall off over time. As the asphalt is exposed the UV, it dries out and the shingle gets a "potato chip" appearance as the corners start to curl up.
A shingle at the extreme end of its life is bubbled in appearance and is brittle to the touch. A 20-year shingle is warranted by the manufacturer
to have a useful life, under optimal ventilation conditions, of 20 years. Hail does several things:
Accelerates granule loss.
Accelerates shingle aging.
Voids manufacturer's warranties.
Leads to other associated problems.
Do I need to get my roof replaced right away?
The insidious nature of hail damage is that it may pose no immediate threat to the structural integrity of the roof. However, many insurance
companies have a "statute of limitations" of how long a hail claim is viable. If you have experienced a loss such as hail damage it is prudent to
take care of the problem in a timely manner before it leads to other associated problems.
What does hail hit look like?
A hail hit on a shingle looks like a "bruise" or a dark spot where the granules on the shingle have been knocked off and the asphalt
underlayment and sometimes the fiberglass mat is exposed. New hail hits will have a shiny appearance because the asphalt has been freshly
exposed and has not had time to weather to a dull color.
Why would my insurance company replace my roof?
The purpose of home owner's insurance is to protect homeowners against losses in their property's value due to damage that is beyond their
control.
If you have hail damage, you have experienced a financial loss in that your original investment of a 20-year roof (for example) has now been
reduced to a 5-10 year useful life span. Your insurance company will compensate you for your loss and replace your roof.
Why does the estimate read that there are more shingles to replace then there are to remove?
The amount of shingles to remove from your roof is the actual amount of square feet that it takes to shingle your roof. However, when putting
on shingles, some shingles have to be cut to fit dimensions, ridges, hips and valleys. An insurance company typically adds 10% to regular
ridge roofs and 15% to hip and ridge roofs to account for the loss of shingles.
My gutters and siding were damaged and the insurance company paid me for how many linear feet had to be replaced.
When I called a contractor they had a minimum fee which was far in excess of the small amount the insurance
company paid me. What can I do?
Your insurance company understands minimum charges such as these and has set prices they are prepared to pay as minimum charges for
all trades. They do not give you the minimum charge up front because such a large percentage of their customers never call a contractor and
just pocket the money. If you call your adjuster and ask for the minimum charge for the work, they will pay it without any hesitation.
In my adjustment, my insurance company deducted some money for depreciation, what is that all about?
Different insurance companies call the amount that they hold back different things. Some call it depreciation; other companies figure it in as a
dump and removal fee. What it represents is the amount of money the company will hold back until they receive a signed contract from you
and a contractor for the work. When they receive a signed contract, you will receive another check for the amount they have held back.
My insurance adjuster said there was no hail damage on his first inspection, I asked our estimator to call and request a
walk through a re-inspection. On the re-inspection the adjuster concluded that there was hail damage and "totaled"
the roof. Why such a dramatic turn around?
There are many different reasons that this happens so often. Sometimes adjusters get to a roof too soon after the actual damage and the hits
haven't had a chance to weather yet. Sometimes the adjusters are inexperienced. Sometimes they were tired after looking at so many roofs
that day. Sometimes they just make mistakes. The best results for the benefit of homeowner seem to be obtained when an experienced roofer
walks through the inspection with the insurance adjuster and calls to the adjuster's attention any damage that he sees.
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