What to do in the first 48 hours after a roof storm

The storm passes, the wind dies down, and you’re standing in the yard looking up at your roof wondering what just happened. What you do in the next two days actually matters, both for your home and for your options down the road.

Here’s the order we’d tell our own family to follow.

First, stay safe and stop the bleeding

Before anything else: don’t climb up there. Wet shingles are slick, and a roof that’s already storm-damaged is no place to be playing inspector.

If water is actively coming inside, your job is to limit the damage, not fix the roof. Move furniture, put down buckets, and pull up rugs. If you can safely reach an attic, a tarp over the inside of the leak can buy time.

For anything on the roof itself, call a professional to tarp it. A proper tarp now prevents a much bigger repair later.

Document everything while it’s fresh

Photos are your friend. Take pictures of any visible damage, inside and out, and write down the date of the storm.

Get shots of water stains, fallen limbs, debris in the yard, and dents on gutters or vents. If you’ve got an old photo of your roof looking fine, hang onto that too. The contrast helps.

Good documentation protects you. Storm damage can be a covered insurance claim, and the clearer your record of what happened and when, the smoother that process goes.

Get a real inspection before you decide anything

Here’s the mistake we see most: people either panic and sign with the first door-knocker, or they shrug it off and do nothing until a ceiling stain shows up months later.

The middle path is best. Get a free, no-obligation inspection from a local roofer. Someone gets up on the roof, finds the actual damage, and shows you photos, so you’re making decisions based on facts and not pressure.

A good roofer will tell you honestly whether you’re looking at a repair, a replacement, or nothing at all. And if it’s a storm claim, they’ll document it properly and work alongside your insurance process.

Don’t wait too long

Insurance policies usually have a window for filing storm claims, and small damage gets worse every time it rains. There’s no upside to putting it off, especially when the inspection itself costs nothing.

If a storm just came through your area, book a free roof inspection and we’ll help you get ahead of it.