A storm hits and suddenly you have a leaky roof. As much as you would like an Orlando roof repair specialist up there as soon as possible, your contractor will have to assess the condition of the roof, figure out the repair costs, and create all the documentation you need for your insurance. This takes time,so while you’re waiting for the actual repair, there are a few things you can do to make life a little easier.
What To Do While You Are Waiting For a Roof Repair
Check Safety
Check to make sure that your family is safe and that your home is okay. You’ll want to make sure that there are no broken roof pieces sitting in your house, and that your family doesn’t have to deal with something like glass. Clear your home of debris that might be sitting around, and do a quick inspection to make sure that there’s no electrical damage within your house. If you need to, you can turn off some of the electricity and gas if you think the water has gotten that far.
Cover Leaks
You shouldn’t go up onto the roof to repair it yourself, but you can place down a tarp over the place where it’s leaking. This will prevent any further damage in your home and will prevent the leak from getting worse too. Just place some wood on top of it to make sure that it doesn’t fly away, and try to extend the edge of the tarp over the side of the roof. This prevents the water from building up and weighing down your roof.
Don’t Panic
It can be tempting to think about getting up there to repair that leak yourself, or to do more than just throw a tarp over it. But take a deep breath and wait for your roofer to arrive. The tarp will hold your home in the meantime, and if you don’t have a tarp, place a bucket underneath the hole.
Call Insurance
After you’ve stopped the problem from getting worse with a tarp, and have made sure that your family is safe, you should call your insurance provider. Let them know as soon as possible about the damage, since the faster you get someone on the phone, the faster the insurance process can get started. This is why it takes some time for your roofer to get started on repairs, since they need to make sure that you have all the documentation that you need to present to your insurance company.
Light Repairs
If the leak is really bad and has the potential to cause more damage, you might want to consider using something like roofing cement to seal holes quickly. Just make sure that you have the right tools to apply the cement, and don’t overextend yourself. Leave the roofing to the professionals, but you can do simple things like roofing cement or roofing tape as a very quick temporary fix while you wait.
Conclusion
It can take a little time for you to get your roof repaired after a big storm if you want the process done right. In the meantime though, there are a few things that you can do to ensure that you lessen the damage on your home, and to make sure that your family stays safe until everything is properly repaired.