Storm damage repair

The repair itself is usually straightforward. What goes wrong is the order of operations: a roof gets fixed before anyone records what caused the damage, a claim gets filed for less than the deductible, or a crew that follows storms is gone before the warranty is needed. This page walks through the repair in the order that protects you.

1The first few days after the storm

1. Stay off the roofCheck from the ground with binoculars. Wet, storm-damaged roofs are slippery and can hide soft spots.
2. Stop water getting inIf water is coming inside, get the opening covered. Keep receipts for any emergency tarping or board-up; most policies expect you to prevent further damage.
3. Photograph everythingShingles in the yard, dented gutters and vents, the garage door, siding, window frames and screens. Date-stamped photos from the ground are enough to start.
4. Write down the dateNote the day and roughly the time of the storm. You will confirm it against the NOAA record later.
5. Don’t sign anything yetHold off on contracts or assignment paperwork from anyone who knocks until you have checked your deductible and vetted the contractor.

2Wind or hail: why it matters

Wind and hail are often separate line items on a policy, sometimes with deductibles set at different amounts. Getting the cause right affects what you are owed.

Wind damage vs hail damageHail damage signs on shingles

3Document the storm date

The NOAA storm events record establishes when hail actually fell in your county, and at what size. It is free to search. That record matters if the claim is questioned, and it matters more if you find damage weeks or months later, because most policies run the filing window from the date of loss rather than the date you noticed.

4Inspect the whole house, not just the roof

A storm that damaged the roof usually hit everything else facing the same direction. Ask for the inspection to cover:

• Gutters and downspouts. Dents and loosened hangers.
• Siding. Cracks, holes, and panels lifted by wind.
• Window frames and screens. Dented wraps and torn screens.
• The garage door. Dented panels are easy to miss and often left off a claim.

GuttersSidingWindowsGarage doors

5Getting it repaired

A creased shingle that has lost its seal will usually blow off in the next storm, even if it looks attached now. Make sure the repair covers creased shingles, not just missing ones.

6What the inspection may turn up that the storm didn’t cause

Once a roofer is up there, older problems come to light. These usually aren’t storm damage and usually aren’t covered, but they can change the scope and price of the repair. Better to hear about them before work starts than as a change order.

• Two or three layers of shingle already on the roof
• Plank decking with gaps between the boards
• Rust streaks below the chimney flashing
• Wood shingle under the asphalt
• No ridge vent and no soffit intake
• Valley metal rusted or missing
• Masonry chimney needs work
• Sagging visible along the ridge line

7What drives the cost

Storm repairs range from a few shingles to a full replacement. The price moves with how many slopes are damaged, whether the shingle can still be matched, the number of existing layers, the condition of the decking, any flashing or vent work, and how steep and high the roof is. Whether insurance pays depends on the cause, your deductible for that cause, and whether your policy pays actual cash value or replacement cost.

Roofing costInsurance claim after hail

9Related

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