Roofing is not the safest of professions. If it were, states wouldn’t require roofers to have such huge insurance policies. Illinois, for example, requires roofing contractors to carry at least $250,000 of coverage in property damage insurance and $500,000 in personal injury insurance.
Bearing that in mind, it’s a little strange that roofers would look forward to the mega El Niño that’s predicted to hit Southern California this winter. The storm is so overwhelmingly huge, in fact, that NASA climatologist Bill Patzert has dubbed it the “Godzilla El Niño.”
“This El Niño will be a stud, not a dud,” he said. “The roof and gutter people are in heaven right now.”
Why does a potentially devastating storm come as good news? Because it means big business.
“I’m having the best season of my life,” Derek Gonzalez, Immaculate Roofing Co. owner and founder, said. “It’s insane. The last time it rained we got 52 calls, and that didn’t include all the requests for estimates that came through our website. We’re booked up through the end of November, so I don’t think I can accept any more work.”
As the monster-sized storm approaches, homeowners are finding the motivation to get their roofs done. Folks who have procrastinated this important maintenance job are scrambling to get it taken care of, with a potentially devastating storm looming on the horizon.
Roofing companies are now booked months out, which is great for their businesses, but bad news for any homeowners who may have continued putting things off. Luckily, there are things homeowners can do in the meantime.
Cleaning out the gutters is key. Roofers are often called to take care of leaky roofs that are caused by backed up gutters and pipes.
Any protrusions that come out of the roof, like pipes and chimney flashings, should also be watched. A material usually goes around them, but it doesn’t necessarily last as long as the roof does.
The Los Angeles Times also recommends that homeowners invest in a backup generator, install a sump pump, store emergency repair materials in a safe dry place, take care of any maintenance vehicles may need — and consider buying flood insurance before it’s too late.