It’s fair to say that the area has been battered by winds recently with this atrocious weather showing no sign of letting up. We have already seen one storm this week; Storm Dudley which saw winds exceeding 30mph, now we are being told to brace ourselves for another; Storm Eunice with gusts of up to 90mph expected. It is believed it could be the worst of its kind since 1987. Of course, this still remains to be seen. It may not be quite as bad as predicted, maybe it will calm down a little before it reaches us. Anyway, with all of these storm warnings, is it time to storm proof your flat roof?
Coastal Areas Are More Exposed
Being near the coast means that if there is a storm with big winds and lashing rain, we are definitely going to know about it. Only today, we saw a note from an insurance company telling us to prepare our property before the storm. Unfortunately, while we can put away the trampoline and tidy up the garden, we can’t always prepare for every eventuality. The roof is one example, being up a ladder in these conditions is not advisable.
Will the Insurance Cover it?
A lot of the time we don’t realise the damage exists until it is uncovered by the weather. If you have an old flat roof made of felt or fibre glass, you may not know where the cracks or vulnerabilities are until the water is entering your property. Some people just dismiss the potential hazards thinking that the insurance will cover it. Be careful here though. There are a few factors to consider:
Is the Roof in a Poor State of Repair?
If this is the case, and the insurance company deem that the roof was in a bad state before the storm, it is unlikely that they are going to pay for a replacement or the repairs bill.
Is the Storm Considered a Storm?
This is another fact that insurance companies will take into account. The storms are usually measured on the Beaufort scale and not all of them will be considered storms. The wind is usually measured on a scale of 0-12. It doesn’t have to be windy to sustain storm damage though. You may think that it is bad enough to be classed as a storm, or that extreme weather is justification enough but insurance companies don’t just hand out money unless they have to.
We can count on one hand the number of times an insurance company has actually paid out for a replacement flat roof in the many years that we have been operating.
Storm Proof Your Flat Roof for the Future
While it is too late to do anything about this week’s weather, it is worth preparing for future bad weather. If you are concerned about your flat roof and would like to discuss an EPDM Rubber Roof Replacement with a 25 year guarantee, then we can help. Give us a call on 01934 824005, or contact us by email, and we can arrange a roof inspection for you.
