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How To Identify Hail Damage To An Asphalt Roof
Before Inspecting Your Roof for Hail Damage
If you are a homeowner that has recently been through a hailstorm and would like to inspect it for hail damage, the following quick guide will give you a basic understanding of what to look for. Before doing so, we should start off with a few quick notes:
 1. Regular Roof Inspections: If you are willing to venture onto your roof every spring, it is a good idea to do annual self-inspections of your roof to look for any changes since the previous inspection and to detect potential issues before they become serious.
2. Always Call a Qualified Roofing Inspector: If you spot a potential issue during your annual checkup or suspect any sort of wind or hail damage after a severe storm, you should always contact a Qualified Roofing Inspector. Many roofing contractors specialize in insurance restoration and offer Free Inspections. A trained representative can discover hidden damage, separate hail damage from natural wear, educate you on your findings and make further recommendations on whether a repair or call to the insurance company is necessary.
3. Be Careful…
How Hail Size Will Affect Your Roof Inspection
If you were around during the hailstorm and have an idea of the size that fell, it will give you a basis for what kind of roof hail damage to expect.
 Less Than 1 Inch: When smaller than an inch, or about the size of a quarter, hail can inflict damage to asphalt roofing. Most often though a hail damaged roof at this size can be more difficult to identify. You may require the assistance of a trained roofing inspector to accurately identify any hail damage.- 1 Inch – 2 Inch: If the size is between 1 and 2 inches, or between quarter and egg size, hail damage should be more easily found on the asphalt shingles themselves as well as any soft metal on the roof.
- Greater Than 2 Inches: Any greater than 2 inches and it will almost guarantee some level of hail damage to an asphalt roof. If this is the case, contact your preferred roofing contractor for a full assessment of damages and notify the insurance company.
Where To Start Looking For Hail Damage on an Asphalt Roof
When searching for the hail damage to an asphalt roof, look at the following susceptible areas first:
- Soft Metal: First search for damage to any soft metal on the roof. Check roof vents, skylights, flashing, metal valleys and any other soft metal on the roof. Soft metal damage will not only show signs of hail, but also indicate the size of the hail that damaged the roof.
- Ridges: The very peak of a ridge or ridge cap, will take a hail hit directly as opposed to the glancing blows on the main pitched roof slopes. Also due to their location, ridges are more susceptible to damaging hail hits regardless of the direction from which the hailstorm came.
- Shingles: Finally look on the shingles themselves. Check not only the interior of an individual shingle, but also the edges where it is weak.
Three Primary Types Of Hail Damage To Asphalt Shingles
There are three main signs that indicate a hail damaged roof, which include missing granules, bruising and circular cracking. With a basic understanding each, it will help you to accurately identify hail damage and its severity.
- Missing Granules: Check for missing granules that have exposed the substrate, or black layer underneath them. The substrate exposed should look fresh, or not as if it has been exposed to the sun for an extended period of time. This will indicate new hail damage as opposed to anything preexisting.
- Bruising: Run your hand over an individual shingle and feel for dimples or indentations in it. These are an indication of hail hits. Press your thumb against the indentation and examine for a soft spongy feel, like a bruised tomato. This bruising may be hidden, but will cause the shingle to fail prematurely over time.
- Circular Cracking: When big enough, hailstones can cause circular cracking around the hit itself in a half-moon or full circle shape. This sort of cracking indicates larger hail and a shingle that has been damaged through to the fiberglass matting, which can make it highly susceptible to water penetration.
Time To Grab The Ladder
Now if you’re still feeling adventurous, you can climb up on your roof armed with an understanding of how to identify hail damage to an asphalt roof. Remember to be careful and always contact a trained professional to verify, assist and further educate in you in your findings.
Thanks to Trinity Exteriors for this great information.
Vacation Driving Tips
Hitting the road safely
Whether visiting family, enjoying a weekend at a resort, or heading to the mountains for a break from the daily routine, there are some important questions when going on a driving vacation. How do you prepare for a trip? How do you handle “road rage” (yours and others)? How do you and your family get where you are going safely?
Calm Down
Driving, whether in city traffic, on wide-open highways or lazy country roads, can be stressful. Other drivers, road conditions and “road rage” can all drive you to distraction. The best advice is – no matter what others do – stay calm. If you remain calm and cool, your chance of safely getting out of the way of a difficult situation increases greatly. Don’t compound another driver’s foolish driving maneuver by making your own. Don’t overreact to events. When encountering a tail-gaiter, someone cutting you off, a car swerving in towards you from the side, the “surprise turner” who never signals, or the vulgar gesture directed at you — try to remain focused on maintaining a buffer of safety between your car and the events around it. Respond only to the traffic action not the hostility or stupidity that might be behind it. Responding with anger can be disastrous for you and your passengers.
Check It Out
Before you turn that ignition key, make sure your car will get you where you are going. That means check all fluid levels, change the oil if it’s due, clean the car’s windshield, windows and headlights, make sure your lights and directionals are working properly, check the tire tread and air pressure, and if you’ve been experiencing a mechanical problem that has been easy to ignore lately, now is the time to have it fixed. Addressing it now will save you money and aggravation if a breakdown occurs in the middle of your vacation.
Cash & Carry
Although most stores and garages take credit cards nowadays, it’s still advisable to have some cash on hand for emergency tows and tire changing. And, when it comes to emergencies, always keep a well-stocked emergency kit for you and your car. Your first aid kit should minimally include bandages, tape, wash & dry cloth and a topical antiseptic. And, for your motoring needs, your car kit should minimally include oil, anti-freeze, transmission and brake fluids, basic tools, signal flare, bright cloth to tie around the antenna or door handle if disabled, flashlight (with fully charged batteries) and duct tape.
Accidents Do Happen
Even the best drivers can get unlucky behind the wheel. Know what to do if you have an accident: 1) Make sure you, your passengers and all others involved are safe. 2) If possible, move the car off to the right shoulder of the road. 3) Stay at the scene until police arrive. 4) Exchange driver and car insurance information. 5) Do not speak or admit fault about the accident to anyone except your insurance company or a police officer.
Sleep
If you are taking a long driving trip, sleep can be your best defensive driving weapon. Long hours behind the wheel, particularly at night, make you drowsy, less alert to danger and increase your response time. Don’t push it. Take a nap, drink some coffee, but when you feel tired – call it a night and get a hotel or motel room. Your vacation will be more enjoyable and safer if you take it a little slower and easier.
Getting There is More Important than Getting There Quickly
People sometimes drive faster on vacation because the time is considered so valuable to them. But each year thousands of motorists make that mistake in their priorities – with fatal results. They are the ones that speed and crash and die each year on America’s highways, all in an effort to get there a little quicker. They put getting there a few minutes earlier over getting there at all.
Drinking and Not Driving
Vacations are a time to kick back, relax and enjoy yourself. But, drinking and driving don’t mix — particularly on vacation. If you are in a resort area or city where others may be over indulging, you’ll need to stay even more aware and alert to the drivers who may not be taking it as safe as you.
Just one inch of water can cause costly damage to your property. As a reminder, it takes 30 days after purchase for a flood policy to take effect so it is important to buy insurance before floodwaters start to rise. Contact your independent insurance agent today to learn more. Learn More From the National Weather Service at http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/tfx/hydro/FAW/fawinsurance.php?wfo=tfx
UNDERSTANDING CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE ISSUES
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A certificate problem surfaces when a third party insists on significant word changes to the certificate as a prerequisite to hiring your insured, who is often a contractor.
These problems with certificates of insurance develop when third parties don’t understand the purpose of the certificate. A certificate of insurance is merely a snapshot of a property and casualty insurance policy, reflecting the basic coverage of the insured person at the time of the certificate’s issuance. It is NOT a coverage form. When a third party treats a certificate of insurance as something other than an informational tool that does not modify or expand the insured person’s policy, it starts a snowball effect that may cause an avalanche of troubles for all concerned parties.
The first issue begins when a third party demands that an authorized representative issue a certificate that does not comply with the underlying policy terms. For example, the third party may want the certificate to provide for notification if there are any changes to the insured person’s policy – even though the policy itself does not provide for notification to the third party. If the insured person cannot convince his authorized representative (you – the agent) to make these changes, then the insured person does not get the job.
In this scenario, the third party mistakenly believes that by changing the language of the certificate, the insured person’s policy must conform to the new language on the certificate. This is not the case for several reasons. First the insured person’s policy is a contract between the insured person and the insurance company. The third party is not a recognized party to the policy and cannot alter or modify the policy in any way. Second, as mentioned previously, the certificate is only evidence of the existence of the policy, not a contract that can be modified or expanded.
Other issues begin when a third party creates and issues its own “Certificate of Insurance” form. To satisfy the third party and secure the desired job, the insured person wants to have his authorized representative (again – you, the agent) complete, execute, and notarize the third party’s version of the certificate. Often, the third party’s certificate requires the authorized representative to legally warrant (guarantee) that the insured person’s insurance policies are and will remain in effect. In addition, the third party wants the insured’s policy to conform with and perform to the meaning and instructions of the third party’s insurance policy throughout the period of the job. (ie- For example, the general contractor wants the subcontractor’s policy to have the same terms and conditions as the general contractor’s policy.)
The issues will multiply quickly when a third party creates its own certificate.
1. A certificate does not and cannot guarantee that a policy will remain the same after issuance of the certificate, much less remain in effect for a certain period of time.
2. The authorized representative is not privy to the third party’s insurance policy and therefore has no way of knowing whether the insured person’s policy will conform to the third party’s policy.
3. Even if the third party informs the authorized representative of the obligations set forth in the third party’s insurance policy, there is no guarantee the third party’s policy will remain the same throughout the period of the job. In fact, such policies more likely than not will require amendments.
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Third party involvement with certificates of insurance currently creates an explosion of legal problems. The third party is not an authorized person engaged in the business of insurance and therefore has no legal authority to create, issue, or use an insurance form. The insurer issuing an insurance policy and the insured person own the policy, not the third party. Only the insurer and the insured person are mutually obligated to each other by the policy language, terms, and conditions. Therefore, no third party, including a government entity, has a legal right to expect, demand, or impose themselves into the insurance contract between other parties. The third party cannot create such a legal right by written contract.
Feb 6, 1987 Ronnie Watson inked a contract with Auto Owners Insurance Company in Lansing MI. 25 years later they have a become a great instrumental part of our agency. With an A++ rating and outstanding Commercial and Personal Lines product lines. Thanks to Regional Vice President Alice Hamm and Market Rep Brandi Wilson for our nice 25 year token of appreciate and lunch.
| Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency |
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| Did you know that a flood, fire, national disaster, or the loss of power from high winds, snow, or ice could jeopardize the safety of your food? Knowing how to determine if food is safe and how to keep food safe will help minimize the potential loss of food and reduce the risk of foodborne illness. This fact sheet will help you make the right decisions for keeping your family safe during an emergency.
ABCD’s of Keeping Food Safe in an Emergency
Always keep meat, poultry, fish, and eggs refrigerated at or below 40 °F and frozen food at or below 0 °F. This may be difficult when the power is out.
Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature. The refrigerator will keep food safely cold for about 4 hours if it is unopened. A full freezer will hold the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if the door remains closed. Obtain dry or block ice to keep your refrigerator as cold as possible if the power is going to be out for a prolonged period of time. Fifty pounds of dry ice should hold an 18-cubic foot full freezer for 2 days. Plan ahead and know where dry ice and block ice can be purchased.
Be prepared for an emergency…
… by having items on hand that don’t require refrigeration and can be eaten cold or heated on the outdoor grill. Shelf-stable food, boxed or canned milk, water, and canned goods should be part of a planned emergency food supply. Make sure you have ready-to-use baby formula for infants and pet food. Remember to use these items and replace them from time to time. Be sure to keep a hand-held can opener for an emergency.
Consider what you can do ahead of time to store your food safely in an emergency. If you live in a location that could be affected by a flood, plan your food storage on shelves that will be safely out of the way of contaminated water. Coolers are a great help for keeping food cold if the power will be out for more than 4 hours—have a couple on hand along with frozen gel packs. When your freezer is not full, keep items close together—this helps the food stay cold longer.
Digital, dial, or instant-read food thermometers and appliance thermometers will help you know if the food is at safe temperatures. Keep appliance thermometers in the refrigerator and freezer at all times. When the power is out, an appliance thermometer will always indicate the temperature in the refrigerator and freezer no matter how long the power has been out. The refrigerator temperature should be 40 °F or below; the freezer, 0 °F or lower. If you’re not sure a particular food is cold enough, take its temperature with a food thermometer. |
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Christmas morning in many homes means unwrapping gifts in front of a cozy fireplace. And every year, local fire departments across the country warn people not to toss all that wrapping paper into the flames, for very good reason: It might start a serious chimney fire.
Still, some people do it. And if they do, they might see strange colors in the flames, like blue and green.
“Just think about fireworks,” says Sidney Katz, a chemist who is just starting his retirement after a long career at Rutgers University. He explains that when people watch fireworks on the Fourth of July, “the colored pyrotechnics are different chemical compounds at high temperature.”
Something similar can happen in a fireplace if people burn colored gift wrap. Some metals found in certain ink pigments will react with heat. Barium-based pigments are used in some red ink, for example, and when burned could produce a green flame.
About three decades ago, Katz made news during the holiday season because he had bought a bunch of gift wrap, tested it in the lab, and found high levels of toxic metal. He says back then, yellow pigment was often lead chromate.
“My concern was what you do with Christmas wrapping papers,” says Katz, noting that “if you burn it, you create airborne particulates which are inhaled.”
Or, he says, young children might even chew on the stuff.
Over the years, Katz says, U.S. manufacturers have switched to safer, alternative pigments. “If it’s made by Hallmark and it’s made with American pigments, it’s probably OK,” he says. But he adds that it would be impossible for a consumer to look at gift wrap made overseas and know what pigments are in it.
Gary Jones is director of environmental, health and safety affairs for a trade group called Printing Industries of America. He says today’s printing ink does use safe pigments, but when something is burned, it can change.
“You know, you’re not dealing with a pigment at that point — you’re looking at what happened as a result of burning a pigment, or burning a metal,” Jones says. He says you would not want to breathe that smoke, or really any smoke at all.
Neal Langerman agrees that breathing any kind of smoke is generally a bad idea. He runs a consulting firm called Advanced Chemical Safety in San Diego. Still, he didn’t seem too concerned about the whole wrapping-paper-in-the-fireplace scenario.
“I’ll bet I’ve tossed a crumbled up gift-wrap paper ball in a fire on a holiday on occasion,” Langerman says, adding that it’s nothing to worry about. He says a fireplace ensures that smoke really doesn’t come into the room and produce any meaningful exposure. Instead, it goes up the chimney.
But beware: Burning pieces of paper could also float up the chimney and start a fire. So experts say the safest thing to do is throw out that holiday paper, or recycle it
When you put up Christmas lights this season – or holiday lights during any season – be sure to follow these Christmas light safety tips.
- Choose Christmas lights that have been tested and deemed safe by a reputable testing laboratory, the best are UL or ETL. Christmas lights listed as safe by these laboratories will note that on the packaging.
- Try to use the cooler-burning “mini” Christmas lights as opposed to the traditional larger bulbs. The older style burns much hotter.
- Only use Christmas lights that have fuses in the plugs.
- Inspect each set of Christmas lights – old or new – for damage. Return or throw out any set with cracked or broken sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections.
- Replace burned out bulbs promptly with bulbs of the same wattage.
- Never hang Christmas lights on a metal tree. The tree can become charged with electricity and shock someone. The tree can also short out the Christmas lights and cause a fire.
- Want Christmas lights outdoors? Use outdoor Christmas lights. The packaging will note whether the lights can be used indoors, outdoors, or both.
- All outdoor electrical decorations should be plugged into a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). You can buy portable units for outdoor use, or you can have them permanently installed by an electrician.
- Use extension cords properly. Outdoor cords can be used inside or outside. Do not overload extension cords – they can get hot enough to burn.
- Stay away from powerlines or feeder lines (these go from the pole to the house).
- Secure outside Christmas lights with insulated holders (never use tacks or nails) or run strings of lights through hooks.
- When you leave or go to bed at night, turn off your Christmas lights.
- Never pull on a string of Christmas lights, it stresses the cords and can lead to fraying. Store Christmas lights loosely wrapped for the same reason.
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Have the furnace inspected by a certified technician. Better to do this rather than have the furnace malfunction when the weather gets really cold.
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Buy furnace filters and change once each month. This will keep the indoor air cleaner and make it easier for the furnace to circulate the air.
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Inspect the fuel tank and fuel line for leaks if you use home heating oil. If there is a leak, have a professional repair the leak.
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Have the chimney inspected annually and cleaned if needed.
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Consider installing a programmable thermostat to conserve fuel and reduce heating costs. It is a good idea to program your thermostat for lower temperatures during sleep hours and when family members are at work and school. Program for 68 degrees Fahrenheit during waking hours.
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Install a carbon monoxide detector or replace the battery in the one already in the home.
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Change the batteries in smoke detectors – the end of Daylight Savings Time is a good reminder for this.
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In the fireplace or wood stove, burn only seasoned, dried wood to prevent creosote accumulation. Never burn trash in the fireplace or in a wood stove.
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Repair or replace broken glass in windows and doors to prevent cold air from getting indoors.
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Conserve electricity – turn off lights, televisions and computers when not being used.
Conserving energy use at home not only reduces costs, but conserves energy resources and reduces air pollution. Using a fireplace properly also reduces outdoor and indoor air pollution and lowers the risk of starting a chimney fire. Make sure you keep fireplaces and stoves clean during colder months, there can be high levels of particle pollution that make the air unhealthy – indoors and out.
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