It’s an unusual incident, but a tree falling on your roof isn’t entirely unique. Wind damage and storm damage are guilty of dropping tree limbs and even whole trees on top of roofs. When it’s a limb, the damage usually isn’t so bad. An entire tree is rather catastrophic, but it isn’t the end of the world.
Find a Contractor for Emergency Roofing Services
The first thing you need to do is relocate to a safe location. Then you need to find a contractor that offers emergency roofing services. The contractor will have to work quickly to remove the tree, piece by piece, from off of your roof. Then the real damage can be assessed before repairs begin. The contractor will put a tarp over the roof if the tree crushed the roof with enough force to leave large openings.
Filing an Insurance Claim
This is an “act of God”, something that most insurance companies will cover when you file a claim. File your insurance claim as soon as the tree has been removed so that you can get good pictures of the damaged roof. The insurance company may still send a claims adjuster to your address to see the damage and get an adequate estimate for repairs. It’s the same process even if you only had hail damage.
Replacing the Roof
If the tree was of immense size and crushed the roof, there may be structural damage to the roof and possibly to the walls in your home. After a thorough investigation and determination of the damage to your home, the work begins. The roofer can replace and rebuild the roof, but any structural damage to walls will have to be done before the roof can be replaced. Expect a couple of weeks for really major repairs and roof replacement work to be completed.
