The siding on your home or building is made to withstand some tough weather conditions. That does not mean that the siding is impervious to damage, however. A single severe weather event, or the cumulative effect of many years of exposure to the elements, can cause enough damage that the siding needs to be replaced.

If you notice broken pieces of siding or siding with holes in it, understand that the damaged siding cannot protect your home from the elements. You should have it inspected by a reputable contractor and repaired as soon as possible.

Siding can be damaged by hail, strong winds, fire, tornadoes, hurricanes, and the impact of flying debris. How your siding is affected depends on the type of siding you have.

Vinyl siding can be heavily damaged by severe weather.  After a storm, you want to look for splits, cracks, chips, breaks, and holes. This damage is caused by wind, flying debris of any size, and wind-driven hail. Sometimes, the damage is difficult to detect, but the damage can be significant. Your contractor can advise you on the extent of the damage and whether the damage is such that it needs immediate repair to protect your home.

Hail and flying debris can cause dings and dents in aluminum siding and wood siding. These indentations may be so small that they are difficult to see. Sometimes, strong winds can pull pieces away from the home or even rip pieces of siding right off the wall.

Composite or cementitious siding is the most durable type of siding. Made of cement and sand, fiber cement is preferred over other types of siding because it is water- and fire-proof. Its durability makes it the preferred siding option in areas that regularly experience tornadoes and hurricanes. However, it is not indestructible. Have your siding inspected by a reputable contractor after a storm to ensure that it has not been pulled loose by a storm, ice melt, or hail, or damaged by a fire.

If your siding is damaged, you need to attend to it right away. If you neglect the damage, your home is not protected from the elements. In a very short period, you will have more damage due to moisture and pests getting into the interior structures of your home. As the amount of damage grows, the expense of repair and restoration will quickly increase. Below are the steps you can take to get it repaired quickly.

In many cases where the damage to your siding is caused by a specific weather event, the cost of repair will be covered for the most part by insurance. If the damage was caused by a tornado, hurricane, high wind, rain, or hail storm, it is probably considered an “Act of God” event. As such, the insurance company cannot raise your insurance premiums based on a claim for damage caused by an act of God.

What if the damage occurred to one part of the siding or one side of the home’s exterior? In those cases, you will need to find replacement siding that matches the color and material of the remaining siding. In those cases, a reputable contractor can help you determine what options are available. Sometimes, the age of the remaining siding makes it difficult to find new siding to match it. When you cannot match the remaining siding, your insurance policy may cover the cost of replacing all the sidings, even when only one area of the siding is damaged.

When you are faced with having to replace a significant amount of your siding, this may be the time to employ storm damage restoration services.

While you are making decisions about your next step, you need to make repairs, even temporary repairs, to the damaged siding. Leaving it as it is will expose the underlying wood on your home vulnerable to rot, which leads to even more damage. That is why you must take immediate steps to protect your home.

A storm damage restoration contractor can install roof tarps to keep water out and protect your home from exposure while you are in the process of getting an insurance claim filed and planning what kind of repairs you need. The cost of tarping and other emergency protective measures will usually covered by the homeowners’ insurance policies.

Working with an experienced storm damage restoration contractor has many benefits. A storm damage restoration contractor can complete necessary emergency protection measures for your storm-damaged home, assess the extent of the damage (which you may not be able to observe yourself), and make recommendations for the repair and restoration process. That may include replacing the existing siding with better quality siding than before, replacing outdated appliances with upgraded models, and other ways to restore your home to a condition better than before the damage.

Get help from the trained storm damage restoration professionals at Monumental General Contractors. They have extensive experience in helping homeowners who have experienced damage to their homes due to storms, fire, flooding, and other emergencies. They are available to help you restore the damage to your home as quickly as possible.