Merlin Law Group held a very successful and fun "Learn The Ropes While Skiing The Slopes" Seminar in Colorado last week where we analyzed roof insurance claims. The cool picture above was taken of me and my ski instructor.
One of the expert presenters was Steve Thomas of Roof Leak Detection. Thomas made a remark about GAF’s Manufacturer’s Manuals and indicated that adjusters should always consult these types of roofing manuals to make certain that repairs are done properly. In a memo he sent to me, he made the following comment:
GAFMC does not recommend partial recover or reroofing of a single roof area due to the potential for defects in the portion of the roof system not replaced to damage or negatively affect the performance of the new membrane.
When required by project conditions or budget considerations, GAFMC requires full separation of the old and new roof areas by means of a full curb mounted expansion joint or area divider installed to provide a complete watertight seal or break between areas.
Tie-in construction in which the old and new membranes are adhered directly to each other and stripped in are not acceptable for use in GAFMC guaranteed roof systems.
Adjusting property insurance claims properly and making certain that policyholders are getting a properly repaired roof takes a lot of hard work and study by adjusters. Many "cheap" roofing contractors eager to get the job will fail to properly inform adjusters of the manufacturer requirements and recommendations. This leads to wrong and poorly repaired roofs which fail much earlier and leave the policyholder with less indemnification than required under the policy.
All adjusters should review and study the manufacturers’ manuals, bulletins, and recommendations as part of fully and fairly evaluating the cost of a roof claim before accepting any estimate by a roofer or contractor as legitimate or one which can reasonably be relied upon.