Summer Storm Roof Damage: A Homeowner's Response Guide

First: make sure it is safe

• Stay away from downed power lines and anything they are touching. Assume every fallen line is live.
• If a large limb is resting on the roof or a wall, do not try to remove it yourself — it may be holding weight or a broken line.
• Check the outside of your home from the ground for structural damage before going back inside after a severe storm.

Stop the water from getting worse

If a storm opened the roof and more rain is coming, your priority is limiting interior damage while you wait for a professional. Water that keeps coming in ruins drywall, insulation, and flooring far beyond the original roof damage.

• Inside, move furniture and valuables away from active drips and put down buckets and towels.
• If a ceiling is bulging with trapped water, place a bucket underneath and carefully poke a small hole at the low point to drain it in a controlled way — a contained ceiling repair beats a collapse.
• Do not attempt to tarp the roof yourself in wet or windy conditions. A professional temporary cover, installed safely, is part of what a roofer or your insurer can arrange quickly.

Document everything for your claim

• Take dated photos and video of every sign of damage — exterior, attic, ceilings, and any belongings that got wet.
• Save receipts for anything you buy to protect the home (tarps, buckets, a temporary hotel stay if the home is unlivable).
• Write down the date and time of the storm and note any local reports of hail size or wind — that context supports your claim.
• Do not throw away damaged materials until your insurer or roofer has seen them.

Call a licensed local roofer — and be smart about storm chasers

After a widespread storm, out-of-town crews flood the area knocking on doors. Some are legitimate; many are not. A local, licensed roofer with a real address and local references is worth far more than a pressure pitch on your porch.

• Verify licensing and insurance, and get the company's physical local address.
• Never pay in full up front, and never hand over your insurance deductible — an offer to "waive your deductible" is a red flag and, in many states, illegal.
• Get the scope of work and price in writing before any work begins.
• A trustworthy roofer is happy to meet your insurance adjuster on site so everyone is looking at the same damage.