How to Inspect Your Property After a Major Storm
How to Inspect Your Property After a Major Storm
After a hurricane, tropical storm, or severe thunderstorm, inspect your property promptly to identify damage before further rainfall occurs. Prioritize safety: wait for local officials to confirm conditions are safe, watch for downed power lines and unstable trees, and avoid climbing onto the roof.
Start your inspection indoors. Examine ceilings and walls for new stains, dampness, bubbling paint, or water leaks. Inspect closets, skylights, vents, and exterior walls. If the attic is safe to enter, use a flashlight to check for wet insulation, water stains, or visible daylight through the roof. Avoid entering attics with damaged framing or exposed electrical hazards.
Inspect the roof from the ground or an upstairs window. Look for missing or displaced shingles, cracked or shifted tiles, loose metal panels, exposed underlayment, and damaged flashing. Focus on roof edges, ridges, valleys, vents, skylights, and where the roof meets walls. Use binoculars or a camera with a zoom lens for a closer view to avoid the risks of walking on the roof.
Check the rest of the property for fallen branches, damaged gutters, loose fascia or soffit, displaced downspouts, and debris blocking roof drainage. Inspect windows, doors, siding, fences, and exterior equipment for impact or wind damage. Be aware that a branch striking the roof may cause hidden damage even if no interior leak is visible.
If it is safe, photograph or record video of the property before moving debris or making temporary repairs. Document the date, affected areas, and timing of any water intrusion. Save damaged materials and receipts as needed, and contact your insurance company if you may file a claim.
Do not attempt permanent roof repairs yourself. Only install temporary protection if it can be done safely and without causing further damage. Packard Roofing & Waterproofing, Inc. assists Treasure Coast homeowners in evaluating storm damage and determining if repairs are necessary.
