Lightning Damage to Multi-Family Dwellings
Did you know that a single bolt of lightning can create heat that’s five times hotter than the sun’s surface? While lightning can be beautiful to watch, a direct lightning strike on a building can cause significant damage to the roof. In addition to damaging the roof itself, lightning can also cause damage to the building’s electrical wiring and electrical devices inside the building. Lightning strikes can also start fires that can destroy entire buildings.
Because of its warm climate, Texas is well known for strong thunderstorms, which of course means lightning strikes. The Insurance Information Institute reports that between 2015 and 2019, fires and lightning accounted for between 23 and 32 percent of all homeowners insurance losses in the United States. If lightning has recently damaged your building, you should contact a roofing company immediately to inspect the damage and fix it. Early repairs can prevent even worse damage to your building.
Some unscrupulous companies will try to convince you that you need a new roof, when in fact you can save a lot of money by simply repairing your existing roof. At Kidd Roofing, we will always be upfront and honest with you about what repairs you need and whether you really need to replace your entire roof. You can depend on the experienced staff at Kidd Roofing to help you find a cost-effective solution to roof damage caused by lightning.
If your roof has suffered damage from a lightning strike, contact the Austin multi-family building roofing experts of Kidd Roofing online now to set up an appointment. You can also call us at (512) 671-7791. We’ll give you a free estimate of the cost to repair your roof.
Why You Need an Experienced Roofer
Unfortunately, the roofing industry is known for cheap, fly-by-night roofing companies that charge exorbitant prices and then do shoddy work. These companies tend to subcontract cheap labor with little experience. The result can be expensive roofing work that doesn’t repair the roof adequately. You could waste thousands of dollars to fix these mistakes.
Hiring an experienced roofing company with a solid and established reputation can save you tons of money because we can make repairs that last for the life of your roof. At Kidd Roofing, we conduct thorough inspections at the outset. We take as much time as we need to figure out the extent of the damage, and then we’ll give you a fair and full quote of the repair costs. If you hire us to do the roofing work, we’ll perform quality work in a reasonable time frame, all the while maintaining clear communication with you.
Why Choose Us?
To save money on labor costs, some roofing companies subcontract out roofing labor to inexperienced roofers. At Kidd Roofing, we maintain the highest of standards for our roofers, and we only hire roofers with lots of experience. The Better Business Bureau has given our company an A+ rating. We also qualify as a GAF certified Master Elite contractor, which means we have the highest level of roofing certifications available in the roofing industry. Only about three percent of all roofing companies in the United States have attained this certification.
We have an excellent reputation in the industry, and we’ve performed work for our many clients on major multi-family dwelling units in Texas, including in Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, New Braunfels, and Round Rock.
You can also rest assured that Kidd Roofing can help if you need to file an insurance claim with a property insurance company. Our employees have strong relationships with many Texas insurance companies as well as experience working as insurance adjusters. While the insurance claim process can be complicated and stressful, we can help make the experience go as smoothly as possible.
How Does Lightning Cause Damage to Roofs?
In large cities, tall buildings often have large lightning rods to protect against lightning strikes. The lightning rod is placed at the top of the building. It’s usually made of copper or another conductive material. The rod is attached to a wire that runs outside of the building down to the ground. If lightning strikes, instead of striking the building, it will strike the rod, and the electricity will flow down the rod to the ground. This prevents damage to the roof or the inside of the building.
Unfortunately, many multi-family residential dwellings buildings don’t have these rods, so they’re vulnerable to lightning strikes. Where there is no lightning protection, the lightning usually penetrates the roof or skin of a building. If the building is made of concrete or steel, the lightning may flow through the structural parts of the building to the ground. The lightning damage to the roof is where the lightning has penetrated the roof or skin.
It’s very important to determine the extent of lightning damage as soon as possible, especially when it comes to multi-family residential units. Lightning strikes may leave holes or cracks in the roof’s surface. Roof damage that’s not fixed immediately can lead to further damage to the building’s interior, including water leaks, rot, mold, and pest infestation.
Contact Kidd Roofing Today to Repair Damage from Lightning
You need to regularly inspect your roof for damage, particularly when there has been a recent thunderstorm with heavy lightning. Visible signs of a lightning strike on a roof include dark imprints along the roof or holes in the roof with smoke marks around the hole. If the lightning travels through the building’s electrical devices, residents could lose power or their electrical devices may stop working. If you see or notice any of these things, contact an experienced roofing company as soon as possible. Early detection and repair before further damage occurs will save you lots of money and headaches.
Our experienced Austin staff at Kidd Roofing has been installing and repairing roofs for almost forty years. We encourage you to visit our website to read testimonials from many satisfied customers who’ve noted our professionalism, quality, and reasonable prices.
Contact us today at Kidd Roofing for your roofing needs. Call (512) 671-7791 now.
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