How to Spot Storm Damage: Tips from Roofing Companies

When the sky clears after a hard storm, your roof has already done its job. It took the beating that would have otherwise landed in your living room. The question is whether it can do it again tomorrow. Storm damage is sneaky. Some issues look obvious from the sidewalk, others only reveal themselves a month later as a stain creeping across the ceiling. From decades of working with homeowners, insurance adjusters, and manufacturers, I can tell you that timing and careful inspection make the difference between a cheap repair and an early roof replacement.

This guide walks through what professional roofers look for after wind, hail, heavy rain, snow, and even heat events that follow a cold front. You will learn what belongs on a homeowner checklist, where you should not step, and when it is time to call a roofing contractor near me, not next week, not after the next big system rolls through.

First, be safe and think like an inspector

Storm damage inspections start on the ground. After any severe weather, you have three priorities: personal safety, documenting conditions as they are right now, and stopping active leaks. Roofs are steep, shingles can be slick with algae or granules, and wind-driven rain often loosens the top layer of grit. Resist the urge to rush up a ladder. A reliable roofing contractor brings harnesses, anchors, and a second set of hands for a reason.

Start with a slow walk around the property. Look up at the roof planes from multiple angles. Use your phone’s zoom, but do not rely on it to “see” for you. If you have binoculars, even better. You will spot patterns that a single vantage point can miss, like a consistent lift along the right eaves or bruising on the north-facing slope that took the brunt of a hail core. Note the wind direction based on tree debris and where your lawn chairs ended up. Wind direction tells a story about which elevations took the hit.

Professional inspectors also check from the attic before stepping outdoors. When the storm has passed and it is safe, take a flashlight to the attic access. Follow the smell first; wet wood has a sweet, slightly sour odor. Scan the underside of the roof deck for darkened seams, water trails running down truss members, or shiny nails with condensation. If you see daylight where you did not see it before, that is not character, that is a path for water.

Hail: small stones, big consequences

In the trade, hail is a four-letter word not because it always destroys roofs, but because it punishes complacency. A ten-minute storm with one-inch hail can pepper a 12-year-old shingle roof just enough to void the manufacturer’s warranty, yet leave very few scars that you can spot from the sidewalk. Hail damage is largely about bruising and accelerated aging.

On asphalt shingles, roofers look for:

A random scatter of dark spots where granules are missing and the asphalt mat shows through. These spots are not uniform circles. They often have a crescent of missing granules on the side where the hailstone struck at an angle. Soft bruises that give under finger pressure. When I teach new roof inspectors, I tell them to think of pressing on a ripe peach. If the mat flexes or feels crushed, it is a bruise. That shingle may still shed water today, but UV exposure will work through the thin area within a season or two. Exposed fiberglass strands. If you see white fibers where granules and asphalt were knocked away, the shingle’s top layer is blown. It does not recover.

Metal roofs Roofing companies dent rather than bruise. The question with metal is performance versus appearance. A handful of pea-sized dings on a 24-gauge standing seam panel does not stop it from shedding water, but it can nix a paint system warranty that you paid good money for. On aluminum panels, you may also see chipped paint at impact points that exposes bare metal to oxidation. Stone-coated steel loses chips just like asphalt loses granules. Look in your gutters; a heavy load of familiar stone in the downspouts points to hail impact above.

For cedar shake or slate, impact shows up as split butts and spalls. Cedar will develop new checks, often clean splits across the grain that were not there last week. Slate spalls create sharp-edged flakes that slide into gutters and onto lower roofs. I have lifted ridge caps after a hailstorm and found handfuls of slate chips trapped like aquarium gravel. That is a sign of widespread damage.

Inside, hail damage rarely causes instant leaks unless you have already brittle or aged shingles. The risk is mid-term. Bruised shingles shed granules faster, the mat erodes, and within a year you have 3 or 4 small leaks across a slope. That pattern is what insurance adjusters look for: functional damage that reduces life, not cosmetic scuffs that only offend the eye.

Wind: uplift, creased shingles, and missing pieces

Wind rarely acts alone. It throws rain under shingles and rips at the weakest details, then the follow-up shower shows you what gave way. A lot of homeowners look for missing shingles and stop there. As roofers, we focus on attachment and sealing.

Asphalt shingles have adhesive strips that self-seal under heat. In cool months, those strips may never set properly, especially on north slopes. Strong wind gets under the leading edge, flexes the shingle, loosens nails, and leaves a crease. A creased shingle, even if it lies flat the next morning, has a broken asphalt mat. Picture bending a plastic credit card. It may not snap on the first bend, but you have already weakened it. You can usually spot a faint horizontal line, often a few inches up from the shingle’s bottom edge. Under magnification, granules on that line look scuffed or missing.

On three-tab shingles, the tabs flap. If you find tabs on the lawn, that is straightforward. Architectural shingles hide damage better. Pay attention to consistent rows of lifted corners. When you see that pattern, a roofing contractor will often recommend sealing those courses before the next front arrives, otherwise the next 50 mph gust could strip them.

Wind pushes hard at edges and penetrations. We check ridge caps first, then rake edges, then eaves. Ridge caps often show the worst of it, because they are small pieces bent over a peak and more exposed than field shingles. On metal systems, look at the hem at eaves and rakes. If the hem slipped off the drip edge or the sealant bead is torn, you have a wind-uplift risk that may not leak today but will in the next sideways rain.

Gutters and downspouts tell their own wind story. Bent sections or pulled fasteners show where aviation-grade wind turned your gutter into a sail. That matters because gutters are integral to the roof system. When they are out of pitch or pulled away, they dump water where you do not want it, like behind fascia or onto the foundation.

Rain and ice: where water sneaks in

Massive downpours test everything at once. Properly installed shingles can handle a ton of water straight down, but wind-driven rain and overflowing valleys expose human mistakes. After a heavy rain, look for drips that come and go without a pattern. That points to flashing rather than field shingles.

Chimney flashings are repeat offenders. Step flashing should look like a clean staircase tucked under each course, with counterflashing cut into the masonry. Tar smeared around a chimney is not flashing, it is a patch. In moderate storms, patches survive. In a multi-day soaker, they fail. The same goes for skylights. Factory flashing kits work if they were installed level and under the right courses. A bead of clear sealant on a skylight curb means someone played whack-a-mole in the past.

Ice introduces a different failure mode. In cold climates, the first clear sign after a thaw is a line of stains along exterior walls or small beads of water on window heads. That is classic ice dam behavior. Warm air in the house melts snow on the upper roof, the water runs to the cold eaves, freezes, and builds a dam. Water has nowhere to go but sideways and up under shingles. If your roofing contractor did not install an ice and water barrier at least two feet inward from the warm wall line, you are likely to see damage at the eaves over time. Inspect soffits for discoloration or swelling. It tells you the dam crept under the drip edge.

Flat and low-slope roofs behave differently. Membrane seams are the weak point. After a storm, walk the deck if it is safe and dry. Look for blisters, open seams at parapet corners, and ponding that still sits 48 hours after the rain. Waterlogged insulation under a TPO or EPDM membrane will feel spongy underfoot. Do not press your luck near roof drains, which can be slippery. With built-up roofs, loose gravel after a big wind can expose black bitumen. That patch will weather quickly if not re-covered.

Hidden clues a week later

Not every failure shows up on day one. I get calls two weeks after a storm with a confused question: why did my ceiling stain show up now? The answer is capillarity and slow leaks. A small flashing gap can wick water during every rain and deposit it onto a drywall screw head. The paper around that screw blooms with rust, and the stain telegraphs through paint days later.

Look up at interior ceilings with strong light. Search for crescent-shaped rings, often no bigger than a hand. Check the tops of closets that tuck under valleys, and ceilings around chimneys. Trace stains back to a likely roof plane, then match that to what you saw outside. In the attic, look for crystalline trails that sparkle in the light; those are mineral deposits left by slow leaks. If you can visit the attic during a rain, you may even hear the soft tap where water drips from a nail tip.

Granules in the gutter are another slow clue. After a storm, any roof will shed some granules. If you check your downspout splash blocks three weeks later and still find piles of sand, that points to ongoing abrasion from hail bruises or wind-scuffed shingles. Keep a mental baseline. If your ten-year-old roof suddenly sheds twice as much as last summer, something accelerated its wear.

Insurance, documentation, and the value of timing

Roof storm damage has two clocks that matter: one for water and one for paperwork. Water damage turns subfloors spongy and feeds mold if ignored. Insurance policies often limit the claim window for storm losses. Many carriers allow 6 to 12 months from the date of loss to file, but they expect prompt mitigation. A good roofing contractor knows how to triage. They will tarp a slope, seal critical seams, or swap a few broken tabs to stop active intrusion while you sort the claim.

Documentation beats debate. Before you touch anything, take 30 to 50 photos. Start wide to show context, then go tight on details. Include each elevation, gutters, downspouts, yard debris like shingle pieces, and interior stains. Save weather data too. A free hail or wind map from a reputable source helps establish date and severity. When an adjuster visits, you can walk them through your photos and the site, which frames the discussion around evidence rather than memory.

If your neighborhood has several crews from roofing companies working the week after a storm, insurers know there was a local event. That does not mean everything on your house is covered. Policies typically pay for functional damage. Cosmetic damage is sometimes excluded, especially for metal. A seasoned roofing contractor will separate what is cosmetic from what impairs service life. They will also know your building code. If your roof requires code upgrades, like adding ice barrier or changing ventilation, those may be eligible under Ordinance or Law coverage if your policy includes it.

When a repair is smart and when replacement is the better bet

Roofers earn trust by making the right small repair as much as by installing full systems. After a storm, I consider three variables: the roof’s age, the scope of damage, and the roof assembly’s complexity.

If your architectural shingle roof is 4 years old and a gust tore off a dozen pieces on a single slope, a repair makes sense. Matching color may be close, not perfect, because shingles fade. But you gain several more years without a full replacement cost. A 22-year-old three-tab with widespread creasing across multiple elevations is a different story. Repairs become band-aids on a patient with thin skin. You fix one area, the next storm lifts the next row. In that case, a roof replacement is smarter and often supported by insurance if hail or wind triggered functional damage across the field.

For multi-layer roofs, replacement becomes almost mandatory when storms hit. If your home has two layers of shingles and the top one takes a beating, stripping everything to the deck reveals the deck’s condition. I have peeled back old roofing and found half the nails rusted through and decking with daylight at the seams. Replacing from the deck up gives you new underlayment, ice barrier where code requires it, flashings that reset the weak points, and a ventilation plan that helps the new shingles reach their rated life.

Low-slope and flat roofs add complexity. If you have a fully adhered TPO system with a few wind-opened seams, repairs with compatible materials and primer can last. If the membrane is 15 years old and ponding has cooked it around drains, replacement becomes the better investment. It is the same with modified bitumen. A few torch-welded patches at fishmouths can ride you a couple of years. Alligatoring across the field says the oils are gone and the sheet is brittle; a new cap sheet or full system is due.

Details that make or break storm resilience

The difference between a roof that shrugs off storms and one that fails early is often in the smallest parts. Drip edges should extend into gutters by a half inch, not barely kiss the lip. Valley metal needs a clean, centered channel and underlayment run with a generous lap. Nails should live in the manufacturer’s nail line, not above it. I still see high nails that back themselves out and punch the shingle above. In a storm, those nails become water conduits.

Ventilation is not a nice-to-have. A hot attic bakes shingles from below and melts snow on the upper roof during winter. Balanced intake at the soffits and exhaust at the ridge or roof vents maintains even temperatures. That reduces ice dam risk and granule loss. After storms, I sometimes find ridge vents pulled or loosened. If you can see vent fasteners exposed at the ridge, that invites water on the next wind-driven rain. A roofing contractor will reseat or replace that ridge vent with fasteners designed for uplift.

Flashing is where experience shows. A best roofing company fabricates custom counterflashing for odd chimneys, uses kickout flashing where roof meets wall to stop water from running behind siding, and seals pipe boots with high-temperature collars that do not crack in two summers. Pipe boot failure is one of the most common leak points I see after any storm. Hail chews them, UV cooks them, and they split where rubber meets plastic. A $25 boot can protect thousands in interior finishes.

A homeowner’s one-hour post-storm walkthrough

Keep this short and purposeful. You are not replacing anything, just gathering facts and preventing further damage. Do this once it is safe and lightning has passed.

Walk the perimeter and photograph all roof planes, gutters, downspouts, and any visible shingle displacement or metal dents. Capture close-ups of damage and wide shots for context. Check the attic with a flashlight. Look for active drips, wet sheathing seams, and damp insulation. Place a bucket under any active drip and mark the area. Inspect ceilings and top-floor walls for new stains or dampness. Note locations and size with a quick sketch or phone note. Look in gutters and at downspouts for unusually heavy granules, shingle fragments, or stone-coat chips, then photograph the debris. Secure anything loose on the ground that could blow back into the house. If safe, set a temporary tarp over a clearly damaged area using wood strips at edges, not just bricks or rocks.

If you find clear, isolated damage and the roof is relatively new, call a few local roofing companies for a quick repair quote. If damage appears widespread, especially hail bruising or wind creasing across multiple slopes, speak to a roofing contractor about a full inspection and whether an insurance claim is reasonable.

Working with a roofing contractor near me: what to expect

Quality varies. After storms, out-of-town crews chase work. Some are excellent, others set nails high and disappear before the first callback. Start by asking neighbors who had a good experience, then check that the roofing contractor carries local licensing where required and general liability and workers’ compensation coverage. Ask for an address you can visit. A physical office or shop does not guarantee excellence, but it separates locals from a trailer and a P.O. box.

During inspection, expect a methodical process. A good contractor documents with photos, marks questionable hail hits in chalk on shingles for adjuster visibility, checks every penetration, and pulls a shingle or two to see nail placement and deck condition if warranted. They will explain what is storm-related and what is preexisting wear. Insurers value that distinction. If the contractor promises a roof replacement sight unseen, be cautious. The best roofing company in your area will earn your trust by showing you what they see and how they reached their conclusion.

On materials, ask pointed questions. For asphalt, which manufacturer and product line, what wind rating, and how many nails per shingle will they use? Will they hand-seal shingles at rakes and eaves if temperatures stay below 40 degrees? For metal, what gauge, what type of fasteners, do they use butyl tape at laps, and will they hem panels at eaves to resist uplift? For low-slope, which membrane, mechanically fastened or fully adhered, and how will they address ponding around drains? Answers reveal competence.

Schedules tighten fast after a storm. The companies you want will also be busy. Protect your place in line with a signed agreement, but do not hand over large deposits. In many states, a modest deposit for materials is normal, often 10 to 30 percent. Anything beyond that for a standard residential job is uncommon.

Edge cases and special scenarios

Every roof tells a unique story under storm stress.

Historic homes with plaster ceilings mask small leaks longer than modern drywall. Plaster holds water and then lets go all at once. If you live in a 1920s house with slate or tile, have a roofer with that specialty inspect. Walking a slate roof like an asphalt roof breaks tabs by itself. Spotting hail spalls on slate is a learned skill, and replacement slates should match quarry and thickness, otherwise your repairs stand out or fail early.

Solar arrays introduce penetrations and unique wind dynamics. Panels often ride over racks that stand 3 to 6 inches off the roof. Wind can funnel under them and lift shingles that would otherwise be fine. After a storm, check that panel skirts are intact and rails have not shifted. Call your solar installer and a roofer if you see changes. Removing and resetting panels for a roof replacement takes coordination and must be priced into the project.

Accessory structures matter too. Detached garages are testing grounds because they are often built with thinner sheathing and fewer fasteners. If a storm ripped shingles off the garage but spared the house, that does not mean the house escaped all damage; it means the garage reached failure first. Document both and let an experienced roofing contractor compare.

Preventative moves that pay off before the next storm

Storms will keep coming. Basic maintenance improves your odds dramatically. Trim tree limbs so nothing overhangs or rubs the roof. Leaves in valleys hold moisture and accelerate shingle decay. Clean gutters twice per year, more if you live under oaks or pines. Install gutter guards if you are tired of ladder trips, but choose a system that does not void your roof warranty and that can be removed for roof work.

Upgrade vulnerable details during small repairs. If a pipe boot split and you are already paying a visit fee, ask the roofer to upgrade to a lifetime boot or add a sacrificial metal storm collar sealed with compatible sealant. When replacing a section of step flashing at a dormer, add a kickout flashing at the eave. It costs little and prevents waterfalls behind siding in the next sideways rain.

Finally, check your own roof literacy. Read your shingle or membrane warranty, understand exclusions, and keep a folder with receipts and photos. A homeowner who can say the roof is a 2016 CertainTeed Landmark Pro in Weathered Wood, six nails per shingle, with ice barrier two feet past the warm wall and a GAF Cobra ridge vent, gets a better conversation with both roofers and insurers than someone who says “you know, it is brown.”

The bottom line after the storm

Storm damage ranges from obvious to invisible. It can be a field of torn shingles on your lawn or a single pipe boot that drips into your bathroom fan. The faster you document, the more carefully you look at the usual suspects, and the sooner you involve a trusted roofing contractor, the simpler and cheaper your path forward tends to be. Roofs are systems. Shingles or panels, underlayment, flashings, ventilation, gutters, and the deck beneath all work together. A storm tests every part at once. Treat your inspection the same way, and you will catch what matters before it becomes the next headache on a rainy Sunday.

If you are unsure, do not guess from the driveway. Search for a roofing contractor near me with strong local references and clear, photo-rich reports. Ask for a second opinion if something does not make sense. Reputable roofers and roofing companies earn repeat business by being honest about what can be repaired and what requires a roof replacement. The right partner will help you get through the insurance process, restore your home’s first line of defense, and set it up to stand strong when the next dark sky rolls over the horizon.

Semantic Triples

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Landmarks Near Tigard, Oregon

  • Tigard Triangle Park – Public park with walking trails and community events near downtown Tigard.
  • Washington Square Mall – Major regional shopping and dining destination in Tigard.
  • Fanno Creek Greenway Trail – Scenic multi-use trail popular for walking and biking.
  • Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge – Nature reserve offering wildlife viewing and outdoor recreation.
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  • Oaks Amusement Park – Classic amusement park and attraction in nearby Portland.

Business NAP Information

Name: HOMEMASTERS - West PDX
Address: 16295 SW 85th Ave, Tigard, OR 97224, United States
Phone: +15035066536
Website: https://homemasters.com/locations/portland-sw-oregon/
Hours: Open 24 Hours
Plus Code: C62M+WX Tigard, Oregon
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Pub: 21 Feb 2026 19:21 UTC

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