How to Test a Roof Leak after an Arizona Storm

After a Arizona monsoon you may suspect your roof was damaged in the storm and is leaking. Before calling a certified AZ restoration company you can test your roof yourself.  If you put off leak detection, the leak will get worse and cost even more to fix the longer you let it go.

What you'll need:

1. More than one person
2. Ladder
3. Hose
4. Bucket
5. Chalk
6. Flashlight
7. Access to your attic

Follow these steps to test your roof:

1. Get into the attic and look at the ceiling for any water stains, discoloration or mold. Correlate the spots that you find inside the attic with the location on the roof. This will help the person on the roof quickly locate the area on the roof where they need to stand.

2. Open the windows in the attic if possible. This will help you communicate with the person on the roof. If not, set up a predetermined time limit for the person on the roof to spray water.

3. Place a ladder near the lowest point of the roof. Connect enough hose to an outdoor faucet to reach up onto the roof and turn on the water supply. You or a second person climb onto the roof with the garden hose and locate the areas where you need to focus water flow. Spray water on the roof until the person inside the attic tells you to stop or until you reach the predetermined time limit for spraying.

4. Using a flashlight, look for water dripping or streaming from the ceiling inside the attic. Hold a bucket to catch the water. If you notice water leaking, circle the area with chalk so you can easily identify it when you repair the roof.

If you have found a leak in your roof contact Seymore Builders to begin repairs and work directly with your insurance company. Visit our site for more information.

Smoke Detector Regulations for Arizona

To keep Arizona residents safe, lawmakers have specific smoke detector regulations.  New home builders must install smoke detectors in all their units, and Arizona residents must dispose of smoke detectors in a safe manner when the units need to be replaced.

General Information

The Phoenix Fire Department recommends that Arizona residents install a smoke detector on every level of their homes to prevent fire damage. Install a smoke detector outside of sleeping areas. For maximum protection, place one in each bedroom. The smoke detector batteries should be changed when the unit starts making a beeping sound, and the entire unit should be replaced every 10 years.

New Homes

Under Arizona law, all building contractors must install a smoke detector in new residential units. When home renovation work is performed on an existing property requiring a building permit for a sleeping area, the builder must installs a smoke detector as well.

Smoke Detectors and Rental Units

When a new tenant moves into a housing unit or a renovated living space, the tenant is required to maintain the smoke detector. The tenant informs the landlord in writing if the unit is malfunctioning. The landlord must repair the smoke detector if he is notified in writing that the unit is not functioning properly.


Child Care and Adult Care Facilities

Licensed child care and adult care facilities in Arizona must have a working smoke detector installed in all activity areas and the kitchen of the premises. The unit may be battery-operated or it may be hard-wired into the facility's electrical system. The hard-wired style smoke detector must be equipped with a battery back-up. All smoke detectors must be tested monthly.


Disposing of Ionization Smoke Detectors

To properly dispose of an ionization smoke detectors in Arizona you must send the unit back to the manufacturer. Since these products contain americium-241, which is a low-level radioactive material, the manufacturers must accept old units and dispose of them in a proper manner.

After Smoke and Fire Damage

If you do experience smoke or fire damage to your home, you need an emergency restoration company you can count on. Seymore Builders can alleviate stress after a catastrophic event involving your property. They work with your insurance company to get your property put back into better condition that it was before the damage. Visit their site for more information at www.seymorebuilders.com.

Trees can damage your home during a storm

Windstorms, fires, ice storms, lightning and even insect damage can cause trees or large branches to fall on your home and cause extensive property damage.

So how can you tell if a tree poses a danger to your property? What can you do if it does? Will your home insurance policy cover you if a branch or tree goes through your bedroom window? Where do you turn for repairs?


The warning signs

Pay attention to the trees on your property and your neighbor's property. Watch out for dead trees, trees with limbs that hang over power lines, trees with trunk cracks or hollows and trees with mushrooms growing on bark, the Institute for Business and Home Safety recommends. The shape of a tree's branches and forks also can be relevant. U-shaped forks are less dangerous than V-shaped forks, because V-shaped forks split easier, according to the home safety institute.


The damage

Trees and branches can damage your house in unusual ways:

• Branches can blow onto your property from a neighbor's yard during a windstorm.
• Tree-related damage can set off secondary damage.  A branch can crash through the roof during a natural disaster, splitting the roof and shattering some windows. Rain then pours in, causing leaking and mold damage, and perhaps even setting off an electrical fire.
• Tree roots can snap water lines and sewer lines, crack sidewalks and driveways, and split communications cables.

Insurance coverage

The good news is that your home insurance usually will cover tree-related damage. If a tree hits an insured structure (like your home), standard home insurance policies cover the damage to the structure and the contents inside, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

Even if the tree's roots were in your neighbor's yard, you should file a claim with your home insurance company. In this case, your insurance company may seek to collect from your neighbor's insurer.

However, your insurance may not provide coverage for removing debris, unless the tree or branch blocks your driveway or causes damage, according to the Insurance Information Institute. If the tree simply falls in your yard, causing no damage, you'll probably not be covered for removing it.

Trees themselves may be covered under your insurance plan. If lighting, vandalism or a fire destroys a beautiful old willow in your yard, you may be able to collect money for the loss. However, according to the Insurance Information Institute, home insurance companies usually limit coverage to about $500 for each tree.

Putting in back together

A Professional Restoration Company can help with storm damage to your home. They should have an Emergency Response team to arrive at your home or business to protect the property from the elements.

As a remodeling and reconstruction company, they can inspect your roof, siding, windows and all aspects of your home to insure safety.  They should board-up and tarp-cover any exposed areas to prevent further damage and loss, and begin clean-up and water removal as needed on any of the impacted interior areas.

Debris should be removed and your roof, siding, windows should be inspected, and all aspects of your home to ensure its safety. And if any of those things need to be repaired, the restoration and construction services can put your property back in good-as-new condition.