Mar 7 2011
Atlanta Roof Leak Repair believes that too much attention is paid to roof repair in Atlanta and not enough to the mold-causing water damage in attics. While roofs receive full repair attention, attics go on unattended for the most part. Atlanta Roof Leak Repair describes.
Spring is practically here, barbeques and beaches, bikini tops to roof tops. Spring also brings storms and damage resulting from storm. Roofs protect homes and business as relentless royal guards. However, they are not without a partner. Attics have long been the neglected member of the family, never seen nor heard nor admired for outer beauty. Attics are just there doing what they always do - holding old, forgotten items from childhood. Attics can oftentimes be as useful as a rubbage heap to some. However attics play a significant part to the well-being of a home or business. Attics support the roof day in and day out. Attics may hold insulation and important parts of heating and air conditioning systems. Attics even affect the very indoor air breathed!
What's more, pay attention to attics and roofs; they are symbiotic in function. Most property owners rarely give much thought to roofs and attics together unless a problem arises. Unfortunately, storm damage affects more than the roof, but the attic as well. Late discovery to roof damage typically leads to more costly repair. The good news is that roof problems can often be spotted before expensive repairs are incurred. If money isn’t enough of a reason to take care of roofs, perhaps health is. Unnoticed or uncorrected roof leaks can lead to mold (including the dangerous black mold), cave-ins, or electrocution!
Here's how mold conditions from roof damage happens. The rafters and beams in attics act as a berm that channels water to walls cavities then damage is noticed even in floors. Mold can be difficult to spot because it tends to grow in scarcely lit places. It can cause allergies or illnesses in even the healthiest of people. Cave-ins are usually linked to storm damage and/or long-term water damage that has deteriorated the structural materials enough to weaken them to the point of collapse.
Three things mainly cause roof leaks: poor construction, storm damage, or age. If property owners or contractors cut corners to save money, the soundness of the roof may suffer. If shingles crack and curl after a winter of cold snowstorms, roof leaks can easily be next. Strong winds can cause heavy branches and debris to fall onto the roof causing instant structural damage. The natural settling of the materials of the roof can create sagging and puddles that can lead to leaks and mold over time.
Luckily, a little awareness goes a long way. If water damage or leaks a ceiling is observed, a problem may be present that needs addressing. If moss is present (which holds in moisture), mold, cracked or curling shingles, rust or gaps on or near the chimney, pipes, vents, or gutters, address those problems immediately to prevent damage. Once a year, it’s important to check chimneys for problems like these, as well as sagging, puddles, missing shingles, etc. Having a professional come out and perform an inspection once every five years is also a good idea because unnoticed damage may be identified.
Storm Brings Damage:
The word storm comes from Germanic ‘sturmaz’ for noise and implies sever weather. Storms are frequently associated with lightning, wind, and thunder. These are called thunderstorms. Stormy weather comes in vast variety: ice storm, hailstorm, windstorm, snowstorm, dust storm, etc).
Thunderstorm:
Characteristics of a thunderstorm include lightning followed by a thunder and are normally accompanied by rain. Thunderstorms frequently result in property damages for home that are prone to flooding during heavy rains or have not been maintained regularly.
Hailstorms:
Hailstorms are storms accompanied by chunks of ice of various sizes and routinely happen during thunderstorms. Most of the ice chunks are fairly small and do not result in any damage for rooms, cars, and other surfaces; however, recent hail that fell on Georgia during February 28th, 2011 thunderstorm accompanied with the tornado warning had brought on some damage to homes and businesses.
A Storm is a natural phenomena that can result in damage or destruction of public or private property. When property damage occurs, homeowners simply want to get back to their lives and insurance companies must pay the damages if the property was covered.
Here’s the challenge. Find three certified and reputable roofing contractors or water damage repair and restoration contractors who will give free estimates in the area that was just hit by a storm. Another option are hiring a public adjuster. A third option would be to use an Atlanta roofing repair company that has the insurance pre-agreed pricing guide called Xactimate. This is where Atlanta Roof Leak Repair comes in.
Xactimate is the name of the estimating program most widely used by property insurers to figure the costs of mitigation and repairs after a loss. It has quickly become the industry standard, as it is used by about 80% of the nation’s top property insurers and independent adjusters, as well as an ever-growing population of mitigation and rebuild contractors. The program uses a thorough and inclusive database of accurate pricing for costs of specific repairs and processes. Each item on an Xactimate report is ensured accuracy. Pricing is individually accounted by specific county where the loss occurred, and the program is updated every two weeks to account for gradually changing prices. Atlanta Roof Leak Repair utilizes Xactimate. Even Xactimate roof damage estimating software has pricing for attics as well.
Atlanta Roof Leak Repair serves Sandy Springs, Atlanta, Dunwoody, Alpharetta, Roswell, Johns Creek, Marietta, Smyrna, Lawrenceville, Virginia Highlands, Toco Hills, North Druid Hills, Hamilton Mill, Powder Springs, Vinings, North Decatur, Sugar Hill, Buckhead, Inman Park, Midtown, Duluth, Suwanee, Horseshoe Bend, Norcross, Lilburn, Avondale Estates, Chattahoochee Plantation, Morningside, Ashford Park, Brookhaven, Laurel Springs, Berkeley Lake, and Paces Ferry areas.
Property damage from storm may range from hail damage to the roof, to water spots on walls resulting from small cracks or leaks around the windows, to a completely flooded basement. However, a lot of storm damage is not easily detected by a naked eye. For example, wind damage to shingles may not show as a leak for a year or longer because shingles lay back in place after the storm is gone, but the sealing strip that held them together was broken by a storm. Atlanta Roof Leak Repair uses the latest technology to take thermal images of water behind walls. Thermal imaging senses the differences in temperatures to create a colorful revelation.
Source: http://www.atlantaroofleakrepair.com/