Roof and ceiling damage

[ambriellemonei]

Hi I live in a manufactured home it's not even 4 years old but with the recent storms where I live there is some water damage to the roof and ceiling(brown spots),the den and utility area has a hole where the ceiling gave way to the water,the shingles remain(a few blew off)how in the world will I begin to fix this damage?It's also causing a moldy smell(which I cant stand),Do I need to replace the entire roof or is there something simple that I can do?Please help..[/b]

[Archie]

First thing I would do would be to cover the roof with some tarps or thick plastic to prevent anymore damage from any more water.

Second thing I would do would be to file a claim with my home owners insurance, unless you plan to cover the costs out of pocket. I would also buy a good disposable camera to take pictures, pictures and more pictures. This is in case the insurance company tries to dispute a claim and you need to take it to litigation.

If not going through the insurance then it is time to get repair quotes. Get as many as you can and be sure to check out references.

[JD]

As Archie said, get the roof covered as soon as possible. Depending on the damage and insurance, you may or may not get relief. Be sure to document the missing shingles. Insurance companies like to say that roof maintenance is on the home owner. But a 4 year old roof is not in need of maintenance and shingles blown off by wind is "Sudden and Accidental". Now a days major insurance companies like Foremost do not cover mold issues. You should still insist that they replace wet insulation which will usually mean replacing some of the ceiling. It kind of depends on your insurance adjuster and how hard you play their game. Wet insulation is damaged and is not in the condition as it was before the leaks. A repaired spot should look consistent with the entire ceiling in that area. They call this "Line of sight". Unless they know of a magician/artist, they would usually need to paint the entire ceiling after an area has been repaired.

Again, depending on the adjuster and the insurance company, they may try to deny the claim or you may end up with everything covered except your deductible. Just stick to your guns.

The whole roof should not need replacing, based on age. A roof company should be able to repair the roof fairly inexpensively.

JD