A storm, like a tornado or hurricane, can be a terrifying event in many homeowner’s lives. Along with pressing safety issues, living through a storm also means watching your home get battered by the elements, often taking lots of damage in the process.
Once the storm is over, you have to make a visual assessment of the damage to your roof, use various documentation methods, and do whatever clean-up is possible, with safety on the forefront of everyone’s agenda.
If you need more professional help with your after-storm cleanup, contact our professionals at At Home Pros. With only a few bits of significant information, we can provide you with a list of competent, licensed service providers in your neighborhood.
Here is a comprehensive checklist of the steps you should take after the storm to make sure your roof hasn’t been damaged.
Types of Storm Damage
Although this list is fairly roof-specific, these different types of damage can harm the rest of your house and grounds as well. Here are a few common types of storm damage to watch out for, especially on your roof.
- Wind – Hurricane-force winds can tear off shingles and other parts of your roof and fling them willy-nilly. Even gale-force winds, which are typically slower than hurricane force ones, can still cause monumental damage to your roof, including ripping off parts so that the under layers of your roof and walls are vulnerable to moisture.
- Hail – Hail storms can be short but very damaging. Even though they only typically last a half an hour, hailstones of even the smallest sizes can cause dents and pockmarks in your roof. They can even rip your shingle granules loose, which is the exterior layer of your shingles.
- Debris – Larger chunks of other people’s houses or trees can cause a lot of damage to your home and roof. Depending at what angle something hits your roof, branches or parts of buildings can puncture the layers, making them more susceptible to moisture damage after. If debris punches a hole through your roof, it’s the moisture that the hole lets in that doubly damages the area.
- Water – A lot of roofs have improper drainage, so standing water becomes an issue after a violent storm. Puddles or other signs of moisture are one of the top signs that your roof has been damaged. Sometimes, standing water is caused by clogged gutters, which can back up and seep into the roof deck or underlayment.
You have to wait for the storm to pass, of course, and certain types of storms – like tornadoes – are much harder on roofs than others. Once you are sure the danger is clear, you can start making a visual assessment of the damage and recording it with pictures and videos.
Visual Assessment
Your first priority after a storm is to make sure that no one is in any danger. Danger can come from the elements themselves but also from threats in the form of downed wires or jagged masonry, glass, or the like. Once you’ve ascertained that most of the danger has passed or been identified, look for signs of damage to your roof or the trees around it.
In particular, look for missing or damaged tiles, slates, or other roofing materials on the ground. Most of the time, any broken roofing material is from your roof, although storms can have winds strong enough to throw shingles and other roofing material a fair distance.
If you have an easy vantage point, check for cracks or holes in the roof. Some easy vantage points include windows overlooking parts of your roof, neighboring decks, or nearby hills.
As you inspect the interior of your home for storm damage, look at your indoor ceiling for signs of water damage, such as warped or stained wood or ceilings.
Flashing is the material that seals the joints between the roof and other parts of the house, such as chimneys and skylights, and this material often gets pulled loose in violent winds and rains.
Misplaced wildlife can pose challenges as well. In the hours after a storm, many animals whose homes were destroyed may look for new places of refuge. Check for signs of pests, such as birds or squirrels, which may have built nests or caused other damage.
If you have a flat roof, look for puddles of water or signs of mold or mildew. Any standing water should be immediately dealt with to avoid larger issues.
Documentation
As soon as you start your investigation, you should document everything you find to send to the insurance company. Before you clean up anything, take pictures and time-stamp all of the evidence of storm damage.
When you are taking note of all the damage that has been sustained by your roof, remember to snap a pic of the shingles, if you can find them, as well as where the shingles came from.
Start Clean-Up
The first step in cleaning up that you want to take care of is to make any minor changes in order to lessen further property damage. If water and wind are still getting into your home through a hole in your roof, put up tarps or position buckets so that you are blocking as much of the damage as you can.
A key component of your cleaning schedule is to eradicate standing water. Depending on what the weather is like after the storm passes, you should make sure that all puddles or other sources of water are eradicated to decrease the chances of mosquitos and other insects from breeding and multiplying. If left too long, standing water is also an expedient of mold growth, which can cause lots of illnesses.
If you find any damage, it’s important to have it repaired or replaced as soon as possible. Ignoring roof damage can lead to serious problems, such as leaks, mold, and structural damage.
Get up into your attic to inspect the interior layer of your roof. You need to keep your house well-ventilated, and remove the damaged areas from the interior side of the roof or surrounding areas. Even before you start to mop up the puddles and cover holes and broken windows with tarps, you should call your insurance company.
What’s Covered by Insurance
There are three main areas that are covered by homeowner’s insurance: weather, non-weather, and accidental events.
- Weather – Hail, wind, fire, snow, and rain-related damage are all considered weather-related damage and will be covered by your insurance company.
- Non-weather – In occurrences of theft, arson, or vandalism, your insurance company will have you covered.
- Accidental – These surprise events are considered “acts of God” by some contractors – burst water pipes, etc. – but flood damage is not usually covered. If you think you need flood coverage, ask for it specifically as you will need additional coverage in most places.
The best way to stay ahead of your claim is to contact your insurance company as soon as calamity strikes and to keep calling them often. Establishing a clear, professional relationship with your insurance agent will save you a lot of headache down the line.
At Home Pros will also save you some stress as our expertise lessens the amount of time you spend scouring the Internet for service providers. If you’re not sure how to spot roof damage or how to repair it, it’s a good idea to hire a professional roofer. The easiest way to find one is through At Home Pros, a digital platform that connects service providers with the folks who need them.