TL;DR
In the first 24 hours after a storm damages your roof, work in this order: make sure everyone’s safe and stay off the roof, photograph the damage inside and out, get a tarp over any active leak, and move valuables clear of the water. Then call your insurer to start a claim and a licensed local roofer for a real inspection. Don’t sign anything with a crew that shows up uninvited.
The first 24 hours after roof damage set up everything that follows, and the order matters. Safety first, then proof, then stop the water. Get those three right and you’ve protected both your family and your claim before a single repair happens. Here’s exactly what to do, what to leave alone, and who to call, without letting a storm-chaser talk you into a contract on your driveway.
What should you do first after roof storm damage?
Four things, in order: confirm everyone’s safe and stay off the roof, document the damage with photos, cover any active leak with a tarp, and move valuables out of the water’s path. Everything else, the insurance call, the repair estimate, the permanent fix, comes after those. Rushing onto a wet, storm-damaged roof is how a bad day turns into a trip to the ER.
That order isn’t arbitrary. Photos taken before you touch anything protect your claim, and a tarp bought you an hour after the storm saves the ceiling, the insulation, and the drywall you’d otherwise be replacing.
| In the first 24 hours | What to do | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Right away | Check everyone’s safe; watch for sagging ceilings and electrical hazards | Water and wiring are the real dangers, not the roof |
| Before you touch anything | Photograph damage inside and out, timestamped | Proof for your claim starts now |
| Within a few hours | Tarp any active leak; move valuables clear | Stops the secondary damage that costs the most |
| Same day | Call your insurer to open a claim | Most policies want it reported in 24 to 48 hours |
| Next day | Book a licensed local roofer for an inspection | Gets the full damage found and the real repair scoped |
How do you safely check for roof damage after a storm?
From the ground, not the roof. Use binoculars to scan for the common signs of storm damage, missing, curled, or lifted shingles, dented flashing, and debris impact marks, and walk the yard for shingle pieces and granule wash-out. Then check the attic in daylight for pinpoints of light or wet insulation, and the ceilings for fresh stains.
That’s as far as a homeowner should go. A storm-damaged roof can look walkable and still have soft decking under it. Getting up top safely, and finding the subtle hail and wind damage that leaks later, is what a storm damage roof inspection is for.
How do you temporarily cover a damaged roof?
With a heavy-duty tarp that extends about 4 feet past the damage in every direction, anchored to lumber strips screwed into solid roof deck, never to the gutters, and lapped over the ridge so water can’t run under it. It’s a dry-in to buy time, not a repair, and it typically holds 30 to 90 days.
If the damage is more than a small section, or the roof isn’t safe to get on, leave it for a pro. Our emergency storm damage crew tarps roofs that are too steep, too high, or too broken to handle safely, and the full method is in our guide on tarping a roof after a storm.
How do you document roof damage for an insurance claim?
Photograph everything before anyone touches it. Wide shots of the whole roof, close-ups of each damaged spot, and every interior sign, water stains, wet insulation, dripping. Add timestamps, keep receipts for any tarps or emergency supplies, note the date and time of the storm, and follow your insurer’s claim-filing steps. That record is what your claim stands on.
To be clear about our role: BH provides the detailed documentation and photos to support your claim. We’re not a public adjuster, so we don’t negotiate or file the claim for you, that’s between you and your insurer. What we give you is a thorough, photographed inspection report that shows exactly what the storm did.
How do you prevent more damage while you wait?
Get ahead of the water. Put buckets under active drips and empty them before they overflow, move furniture and electronics clear, and cover what you can’t move. Run fans and a dehumidifier, because in San Antonio’s humidity, wet drywall and carpet can start growing mold in 24 to 48 hours.
If a ceiling is bulging with trapped water, it’s safer to relieve it in a controlled way with a small hole and a bucket underneath than to let it collapse on its own. These are holding actions. They keep a roof problem from becoming a whole-house problem until the repair happens.
How do you avoid storm-chaser roofing scams?
Be careful with any crew that shows up uninvited right after a storm. The classic storm-chaser pattern is an out-of-town truck, a hard sell, a big deposit up front, and a signature demanded on the spot, then thin work and no one to call when it leaks. Slow down. A real repair will still be there tomorrow.
Hire a local company with a physical San Antonio address, Texas licensing, and proof of liability and workers’ comp, and never pay in full before the work’s done. Our full breakdown of the red flags is in the guide on avoiding roofing scams after a storm.
Get your roof stabilized, then properly repaired
The first 24 hours are about damage control: stay safe, get proof, stop the water, and line up the right people. Once the emergency’s handled, a proper inspection and permanent repair put the roof back to full strength, and it’s the time to weigh upgrades like impact-resistant shingles so the next storm does less. If you’re not sure where your roof stands before the season, start with our guide on preparing your roof before the next storm.
BH Roofing is a GAF Master Elite roofer serving greater San Antonio, with 24-hour emergency response for storm damage. Call us at (210) 267-9029 and we’ll get a tarp on the leak and a free 27-point inspection on the schedule.
