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Community Corner

1 Ft of Snow = 19,000 Lbs on Your Roof

Your roof is the armor for your house that protects you, your family and your belongings from the outside elements – including rain, hail, snow, wind and sleet.  Your shingles are designed to seal water out and protect the interior of your roof and the rest of your home.  Your insulation is designed to keep hot and cool air from your heating and air conditioning systems inside of your home and keep the temperature outside from affecting the temperature inside.  Your rafters, joists and beams are designed to allow the rest of your home to support the weight of your roof.  While it may look like a simple flat slab of construction material, your roof is actually a complex, well-designed fortress that protects you – when functioning properly.

If one of the above mentioned elements of your roof is compromised, it can mean big and expensive problems.  Snow is a leading cause of severe roof damage.  Here are a few of the common problems that are caused by winter weather.

Roof Collapse: When heavy snow sits on top of your roof, the first and most obvious cause of damage is the weight of ice and snow.  Snow amounting close to several inches or more can overwhelm the structure of your roof and cause obvious signs of stress, including sagging.  A foot of snow is the equivalent of 19,000 pounds – or nearly 10 tons – of pressure on your roof.  This extreme weight can cause severe damage to your home.

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Ice Dams: As snow sits on top of your roof, it can begin to melt from the heat provided by your home underneath, especially if your insulation is poor.  As the snow turns to water, it can find small cavities where the tar seal underneath your shingles has been compromised.  When the sun beats down on the snow the next day, it causes an even greater melt, which can allow substantial amount of water into these cavities.  Overnight, this water will freeze and expand the cavities – just as water and ice create potholes in streets.  As more water enters and freezes, it creates large ice dams.  As the melting snow attempts to run off from your roof, its forward progress is stopped by these ice dams, and it has no way to go except down into your home.  Ice dams can severely devastate your roof and the inside of your home.

Missing Shingles: Cold, blistery winter wind is unpleasant for everybody, including your roof.  Many times a strong gust will loosen or tear shingles from your roof, allowing for significant amounts of water to enter.  Missing shingles are very common during snow storms, and if your shingles go missing before the snow accumulates, you could be in for severe weather – inside of your home!  As that snow melts, it will seep through the sheathing, insulation, and eventually your ceiling.

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If you have damage to your roof, the first thing you need to do is become financially prepared to handle the expense of roof replacement.  ACI Adjustment Group assists homeowners in obtaining full coverage from their insurance company for large property damage claims such as roof leaks.  When damage occurs, don’t settle for a low-ball offer from your insurance company.  Your roof leak may entitle you to a five figure settlement when documented and mitigated properly, and when you hire a licensed Public Adjuster from ACI Adjustment Group with a full understanding of your policy coverages, the necessary property replacement procedures, and the actual cost of replacement for your roof damage. 

Visit www.aciadjustment.com or call ACI Adjustment Group today at 1-800-809-4302 for more information about how to obtain maximum coverage for your roof damage.

For more information on roof damage and roof damage insurance claims, visit http://aciadjustment.com/residential/roof-claims/ and http://aciadjustment.com/residential/roof-claims/roof-claims2/

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