Random Thoughts

Your Massachusetts homeowners insurance requires you to keep your home in good repair; assessment of an insurance claim will be affected if damage to your home is considered to be normal wear and tear, or to have been caused due to your failure to repair or maintain the property. For that reason, ongoing maintenance of the roof is important.

A roof can deteriorate quickly in severe weather, so it’s important to inspect it, or have it inspected, regularly; have any repairs done quickly so that a small problem does not escalate into a major fault. Check roof tiles for cracks, chips or signs of movement, and look for any rust spots on a metal roof. Metal flashings need to be inspected for signs of wear and rust. Gutters and downpipes should also be checked: make sure that they are firmly fixed in place, and look out for signs of damage and corrosion. Leaves or moss blocking the gutters should be removed, and you may want to consider fitting gutter leaf guards to avoid further blockages.

If you do climb up to check the roof and guttering yourself, be very conscious of your personal safety. It’s dangerous to climb on a wet roof, and it’s quite easy to damage roof coverings or tiles by walking on them. Never climb a long ladder unless you have someone to help you, and if you don’t feel confident or comfortable working at heights, it’s best to have a roofing specialist check the roof for you. Your Massachusetts homeowners insurance can cover the cost of repairing storm damage to your roof, but it won’t be much help at all if you fall and break a limb or two!