Everyone who lives in the great state of Maryland knows how crazy the weather can sometimes be. One second it could be 80 degrees and not a cloud in the sky, and within half an hour storm clouds are rolling in for what sounds like the loudest storm you’ve heard in years. Maryland weather just never seems to want to cooperate, especially during the summer months. As many homeowners surely know, this can end up not boding particularly well for the exterior of your home. Storms can cause some pretty severe damage to the roof of a home, it’s siding, windows, and doors, etc.
This is where the aforementioned “storm chasers” come into play. There are companies out there that follow bad weather and attempt to convince homeowners in those areas that they need a new roof because of the weather damage. These companies are mostly fraudulent and can frequently be found knocking on doors of homes in areas where severe weather has recently occurred. Their claim is that they know how to manipulate insurance companies and promise a completely free new roof through said insurance money.
There are a multitude of problems that arise from storm chasing companies like this. They never have the homeowner’s best interests in mind. They will convince homeowners that they are in dire need of a new roof and replace it with very little to no storm damage whatsoever. They do so in an incredibly short amount of time, because their objective is to fit as many roof replacements as possible in after whatever weather event has occurred. This ultimately means the quality of the roof is very poor, meaning the homeowner will have to pay for it to be redone “usually within the next 5 years” according to an Angie’s List article.
These companies are also usually not licensed and insured in the state, which can present many large problems in and of itself. However, this also makes them unaware of what roofing codes need to be adhered to in the area. For example, a storm chasing roofing company from the south would most likely not put an ice and water shield on a roof in Maryland, because they do not have to in the state they are based out of. Not only is this not up to Maryland roofing code, it can result in very serious weather damage in the winter months.
You would think that replacing a roof much too early, not being licensed and insured, and not adhering to local and state codes would be enough wrongdoing for one company. Well, guess again! How about the warranty that will be promised to homeowners who give in to representatives from these types of companies? Given that they are located in other states, as soon as a problem occurs with your roof, they will already have moved on to the next state following the next storm or severe weather event. This can be referred to as a “taillight warranty” due to the fact that as soon as you see this roofing companies’ taillights, your warranty has gone along with them. They will not come back to fix your roof because they are not at all trustworthy.
Altogether, these companies can only be summed up as dishonest. They have no one’s best interest in mind except for their own. They can be very convincing, so homeowners should be aware of how to determine whether a company is reputable or not. The first step would be to look up the company on Google or any other time of search engine. Asking the representative for proof of insurance or licensure will usually separate trustworthy companies from these fraudulent storm chasers. In Annapolis and the surrounding areas, there are plenty of locally owned and operated companies that are more than trustworthy and contribute to our local and state economies. If you may suspect your home has any type of storm damage, reach out to one of them for an evaluation. Don’t fall victim to “storm chasers”!