What is the difference between storm damage and normal wear?
Short Answer
Storm damage generally involves a specific covered event such as wind or hail. Normal deterioration results from aging, weathering, maintenance issues or material degradation.
Detailed Explanation
The distinction between storm damage and normal wear is critical for insurance purposes. Storm damage is caused by a specific, identifiable event — a windstorm that blows off shingles, a hailstorm that bruises shingles, a tree that falls on the roof. It's sudden, visible, and typically documented with photos from the time of the event. Normal wear is the gradual deterioration that happens over time — shingles aging and losing granules, flashing corroding, sealants drying out. Insurance typically covers storm damage (if the peril is covered by the policy) but not normal wear. A professional inspection can help distinguish between the two: storm damage has specific patterns (creased shingles from wind, bruised shingles from hail), while normal wear is more uniform and gradual.
Why It Matters
Insurance coverage depends on the cause of damage. Understanding the difference helps homeowners know whether to file a claim and what to expect.