Last winter, I replaced my roof, and now that it's getting hot, I turned on my A/C only to find it not working. After an inspection, the A/C technician discovered that one of the roofing nails pierced the A/C pipe. The roofer claims that the pipe must have been installed too close to the roof and insists he isn't responsible for the damage. However, since the roofer had full access to the attic, I believe he should have checked for potential issues before doing the roof. Am I right in thinking that he's liable here? Should I file an insurance claim or take this to small claims court? Thanks for any advice!
2 Answers
Honestly, it's pretty rare for roofers to inspect the attic before starting work. They usually handle everything from the outside. It does sound a bit odd that the A/C pipe was so close to the roof, though. If I were you, I might consider checking with the HVAC company that installed the pipe. They might bear some responsibility for putting it too near the roofing material. Plus, is the repair cost high enough to justify filing an insurance claim?
As a former insurance adjuster, I can say that I wouldn't expect roofers to check the attic. But if that A/C line was installed improperly and is now too close, that could be a whole different issue. Before you file a claim with your insurance—especially considering how sticky they are with policies—check how much the repair is going to cost you. If it's not too high, sometimes it's easier to handle it directly rather than going through all the insurance hassle.
It's around $2000 for the repair. Seems pretty steep for just a pipe, doesn't it?
Exactly! I think it might be tricky to prove negligence here. Just check how much the repairs will cost 'cause if it’s not a huge amount, maybe it's better to handle it without involving insurance.