Be Your Own Inspector

Word to the wise:

If you house has damage from hail, don't just accept what the insurance company says is damaged: be your own inspector. There are some things that the insurance adjusters may not catch.

1) 1 or 2 sides of the house: Most times when an insurance company gives you the claim, it is only for the most distressed part of your home. It is VERY hard for a painting contractor to match exactly the remainder of the home. If your home is a year or 2 old and you have the original paint, it's probably okay, but if it's more than that, the color is most likely faded and the sheen is less than the original color. if that is acceptable to you, great, but I would suggest asking for more to cover the whole house.

2) Damage to gutters and downspouts. Sometimes there is damage that is not clearly visible from ground level.

3) Damage to siding: Sometimes the hail will cause the composition siding to be exposed. The longer you wait to address that problem, the more moisture is going to get into there and cause delamination (the glue inside loosens and flakes off). This can be addressed by using a "glue primer" like SW Prime-RX or XIM Peel Bond and then painting. It is also a good idea to take the time to loosen the exposed areas to get off as much as possible.

4) Exposed gaps: Many times the impact from hail will cause siding or trim to loosen enough to expose gaps. These gaps should be caulked with a siliconized painters caulk that is paintable. If the gaps are large, an elastomeric (stretchable) caulk should be used.

In closing, make sure to be your own estimator and take your own pictures before your insurance inspector comes.