Roof Damaged in a Windstorm? What Pierce & King County Homeowners Should Do Next

Start from the ground and stay off the roof. Walk around the house in daylight and look at each slope. Binoculars or a phone camera zoom help you see details without a ladder. Common signs of wind damage include:

• Missing shingles, or shingles that look lifted, creased or folded back
• Shingle granules or broken pieces in the yard, gutters or downspouts
• Cracked or slipped tiles on concrete tile roofs
• Bent flashing, loose vents or damaged ridge caps
• Branches or debris lying on the roof
• Gutters that sag, pull away from the fascia or overflow
• New water stains on ceilings, or damp spots in the attic if it is safe to look

Some wind damage is easy to miss. A shingle can lift in a gust and settle back down with its seal broken, so it looks fine from the yard but no longer sheds water the way it should. If something looks off, or you simply are not sure, a roofer can check it up close. Our storm damage roof repair page explains what we look for.

Safety comes first. Do not climb onto a wet, windy or damaged roof. Wet shingles and mossy tiles are slippery, damaged decking can give way, and storms often bring down power lines near homes. Stay clear of any fallen lines and call the utility.

Next, take photos and short videos from the ground before anything is cleaned up: each side of the house, anything that came off the roof, damaged gutters and vents, and any stains inside. Phones add a date and time automatically, which helps show when the damage appeared. Keep a few pieces of shingle or flashing that blew off.

If water is coming in, put buckets or towels under the drip and move furniture, electronics and other valuables out of the way. If water is near light fixtures or outlets, turn off power to that area and stay clear.

Then call a roofer. A temporary fix should keep rain out until a permanent repair can be done. A proper emergency tarp is heavy-duty material secured with battens so the wind cannot get underneath it, not a loose tarp held down with bricks. DHT Construction & Roofing can tarp the damaged area and come back for the permanent repair. If water is coming in right now, see our emergency roof repair page or call (253) 363-1948.

Yes, and our weather is the reason. One lifted shingle or a slipped tile might not leak during the storm itself. But storms here tend to come back-to-back, and wind-driven rain can push water under a lifted edge. Over a long, wet winter, that small opening can let water reach the underlayment and roof decking.

By the time a stain shows up on the ceiling, water has usually been getting in for a while. Wet insulation, stained drywall and soft decking are all harder to fix than the original shingle. That is why it pays to have small damage checked soon after a storm instead of waiting for spring.

Tile roofs deserve the same attention. A cracked or slipped concrete tile can let rain reach the underlayment beneath it, and that layer is what actually keeps the water out. If you have a tile roof, our page on concrete tile roof repair explains how those repairs work.

Many homeowners call us first for a free inspection, so they know what was damaged and whether it is worth filing a claim. Do not wait long to contact your insurer, though. Many policies have deadlines for reporting damage, and an early call gets an adjuster on the schedule sooner, which matters after a big storm when many homes are affected.

Every policy is different. Whether a claim is covered, and how much is paid, depends on your policy's terms, your deductible and the insurer's decision. A roofer cannot promise coverage. What DHT can do is document the damage with photos, meet your adjuster on-site and write a detailed scope. Our guide to storm damage roof insurance in Washington covers the claim process step by step.

The best time to find weak spots is before the next windstorm finds them for you. A few steps make a real difference:

• Book a free roof evaluation so loose shingles, slipped tiles and worn flashing get fixed while they are still small
• Clear gutters and downspouts so heavy rain can drain away from the roof edge
• Trim branches that hang over the roof or rub against it in the wind
• Have loose shingles, tiles, vents and flashing secured before the next storm

At a free evaluation, Curtis walks your roof, checks the attic if needed, and tells you honestly what it needs: a small repair, a replacement down the road, or nothing at all. Our free roof inspection page explains what is included.

DHT Construction & Roofing is a family-owned roofing contractor, licensed, bonded and insured in Washington (WA #DHTCOCR871PA), serving homeowners across Pierce and King County since 2013 and rated 5.0 on Google. Book your free roof evaluation online or call (253) 363-1948.