LEE COUNTY, Fla. — We know when it comes to your roof, many of you are still battling your insurance companies and even supply delays.
With the rainy season normally starting around May 15th, Fox 4 spoke with a local roofing company owner about what you can do, now, to protect your home.
"We hope there aren't going to be leaks, but with all these blue tarps there are going to be leaks," said Jason Polly, the president and owner of Roof EZ.
Blue tarps still litter our area, months after Hurricane Ian and as rainy season approaches, you might wonder, just how those coverings could hold up.
"Blue tarps normally last around 3 to 8 weeks," said Polly.
He says they offer a tarp paper-like product. This method lasts about 4 to 8 months, but a common challenge for so many, regardless of how you're protecting your roof, is insurance.
"It's every day,” said Polly. “Every day we are having to battle insurance. Every day we are having to come to homeowners and say we will get to you as soon as your insurance pays out."
Another challenge is supplies. Polly says tile roofing could see a backlog of 26 to 42 weeks.
No matter what the delay is, the concern here is what could happen next, as we see even more rain in the coming weeks.
"Additional damage, drywall, insulation. Mold remediation,” said Polly. “There are all kinds of things that come with internal leaking."
So, what can you do? Polly says get your roof inspected now.
"Preemptively, I recommend everybody get a qualified roofing inspector out to inspect your roof,” explains Polly.
“If you have the means to get your repair done, get your repairs done. If you are dealing with insurance or if you are with a lawyer or public adjuster, get your repairs done and your invoices over to the public adjuster, lawyer, whoever, to just show I am trying to get my roof covered before the rainy season, hurricane season gets here."
Polly says it could take a year or two before most Ian-damaged-roofs get repairs.
Another reason he encourages you to get that inspection is you might not realize the status of your roof until additional rain uncovers additional leaks.
