If you notice your roof is leaking during a storm, there are a few steps you can take to minimize the damage until you can call in a professional roofing contractor to take care of the problem.
If the leak is dripping near electronics, move them out of the area. Your roof is already leaking—the last thing you want to add to your list is an electrical fire. Move any furniture, carpets, or other items out of the leak area to prevent the water from damaging them. You can also cover things with plastic to prevent water damage.
Much like you see in cartoons and in movies, buckets or pots work wonders for roof leaks. They are not a fix, however, and only offer a temporary solution to prevent water damage to your floor and surrounding areas. Empty the bucket frequently to prevent overflow. You’ll have to repeat this process until the leak is fixed by a roofing contractor.
You need to know where the leak is coming from. The obvious answer is the roof, but you need to find out exactly where it is leaking. Head up to your attic and inspect it. The most common areas for leaks are the flashing around vents and fans. Or the leak might not be from the roof at all. If you have an AC unit or a water heater in the attic, you’ll want to make sure the leak isn’t coming from one of them. Not comfortable getting in the attic? Give us a call and let us handle it for you.
Depending on the cause of the roof leak, your insurance may or may not cover the cost of repairing it. Storm damage from events like wind or fallen limbs is often covered, but coverage depends on your specific policy and your insurer’s decision. Confirm with your insurer.
However, if the leak is the result of improper maintenance or just general wear of the roof, they may not. Call your agent to be sure what they cover, if anything. Want to make sure you’re taken care of? Your Storm Guard representative can walk you through our inspection findings and repair estimate, so you have clear documentation for your insurer.
If your insurance covers roof leaks, you’ll need pictures (and lots of them) to send in. Make sure to document all areas of damage and get several viewpoints of the leak. High-quality photos should be labeled and dated before sent to your insurance. Your Storm Guard representative can help with this as well.
If the leaking is bad and cannot be fixed immediately, emergency roof tarping may be required. If this is the case, your local Storm Guard will know exactly what to do to help you out.
Climbing on a ladder and putting a tarp on your wet roof can be extremely dangerous; please leave this to a professional to prevent any injuries or more damage to your roof.
Since a bucket or pot is only a temporary solution to prevent more damage from occurring, you’ll need to hire a professional roofer to fix the leak. While small leaks may be fixed yourself, leaving it to the professional who deals with leaks daily will ensure the integrity of the repair.
Ask your Storm Guard representative several questions regarding any guarantees about the repair and how you can prevent further leaks in the future. As always, we can document the damage and provide a detailed repair estimate to support your claim. You file and manage the claim with your insurer.
Protect what’s below the leak. Move electronics out of the area to avoid an electrical hazard, shift furniture and rugs clear or cover them with plastic, and place a bucket under the drip, emptying it often until a professional can make the repair.
Head up to the attic and look, since the most common leak points are the flashing around vents and fans. Also rule out an attic AC unit or water heater as the source. If you’re not comfortable going up there, call a professional to check it for you.
It depends on the cause and your policy. Storm damage from events like wind or fallen limbs is often covered, while a leak from poor maintenance or general wear often isn’t. Call your insurer to confirm what, if anything, they cover.
No. Climbing a ladder onto a wet roof to place a tarp is extremely dangerous and can cause injury or more damage. Emergency tarping is best left to a professional, and your local Storm Guard can handle it.
Storm Guard can document the damage and provide a detailed repair estimate to support your claim, along with clearly labeled, dated photos. You file and manage the claim with your insurer.
Unless otherwise noted, each use of "Storm Guard," “us,” “we,” or “our” throughout Stormguardrc.com collectively refers to both the Storm Guard brand and the Storm Guard Franchise System, which is made up almost exclusively of independently owned and operated franchise locations.
