Storm & Hurricane Damage Guide
Every hour with an exposed roof means more water intrusion, more interior damage, and a larger insurance claim. Emergency tarping is not optional—most policies require you to mitigate further damage. Our crews deploy 24/7, even during active storm events.
First-Hour Priorities
Step 1
Your policy requires you to mitigate further damage. Waiting for an adjuster while rain pours through your roof will result in a larger claim AND potential claim denial for the secondary water damage. Tarp first, then file.
Step 2
Storm-damaged roofs have compromised decking that may not support your weight. Wet surfaces are extremely slippery. Professional crews use harnesses, safety equipment, and proper techniques to secure tarps without risking lives.
Step 3
Board-up windows with plywood and seal door openings. Wind-driven rain through broken windows causes rapid interior water damage, including to floors, walls, furniture, and electronics.
Step 4
If you purchase tarps, plywood, or other emergency supplies yourself, save every receipt. These mitigation expenses are typically reimbursable under your insurance claim as "emergency measures."
Field Visuals
These examples show the conditions and response patterns our teams evaluate during active storm damage restoration.
Our crews use harnesses and proper fall protection while installing contractor-grade tarps secured with batten strips. This is not a job for DIY approaches on damaged roofs.
Missing shingles expose underlayment and decking to rain. Within one rainfall event, water penetrates into attic insulation, ceiling drywall, and wall cavities—multiplying the damage exponentially.
Broken windows allow wind-driven rain to cause rapid interior damage. Our crews board all openings with exterior-grade plywood sealed at edges to prevent further water intrusion.
Technical Workflow
This sequence keeps decisions measurable, documented, and aligned with insurance requirements and safe reconstruction.
We identify all exposed areas from damaged shingles, missing decking, broken ridge caps, and compromised flashing. The tarp must cover well beyond the visible damage to prevent wind-driven rain entry.
We use heavy-duty woven poly tarps (not hardware store blue tarps) secured with 2x4 batten strips screwed into roof framing. This method withstands subsequent storms and prevents flapping that damages remaining roofing.
Broken windows and compromised doors are boarded with exterior-grade plywood, sealed at edges. We also secure garage doors—the most common failure point during hurricanes that leads to catastrophic structural failure.
We photograph all damage before and after tarping, providing detailed reports that satisfy insurance requirements. This documentation proves you fulfilled your duty to mitigate and supports the full scope of your claim.
South Florida
Florida building codes require tarps to withstand sustained 70+ mph winds in coastal areas. Standard blue tarps fail in these conditions. We use engineered tarp systems with structural fastening appropriate for Florida wind loads.
Charlotte, NC
Severe thunderstorms can damage roofs multiple times per season. Our tarping crews in the Charlotte area are experienced with both wind-damaged asphalt shingle roofs and the winter ice dam scenarios common in the Piedmont.
Coastal SC
Hurricane evacuations mean homes sit unprotected during storms. We coordinate pre-storm board-up for coastal properties before evacuation orders, and deploy tarping crews immediately after storm passage when roads reopen.
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