Repairing shingles, flashing and roof edges that wind has lifted, cracked or opened on a Moscow or Palouse house.
Fastest: call (833) 751-2102. Or send this and we call you back.
Storm and wind damage roof repair fixes the shingles, flashing, ridge and edge components that gusts have lifted, cracked or opened. On the Palouse the wind is well documented, with reported gusts that have put trees onto homes. A technician checks the roof for the openings the wind left, then repairs them before the next rain or thaw.
Wind is the best-documented hazard on this part of the Palouse. The National Weather Service and NOAA's Storm Events Database both record gusts that have lifted roofing, brought down power lines and put trees onto houses.
The damage is often hard to see from the ground. A shingle can be lifted at the corner and still look in place, and a flashing can be pulled away from a chimney in a way that shows only as a faint line.
A local roofer checks the whole roof and not just the spot that is visibly damaged. The phone line at (833) 751-2102 is answered around the clock.
Do not climb onto a roof after a windstorm until the wind has dropped and the surface is dry, and do not walk a roof with loose trim or a hanging branch overhead. Never try to pull a fallen tree or a limb off the roof yourself, because a load that is holding the roof in place can shift when it is moved. Keep well away from downed power lines, and report them to the utility before anything else. Call a roofer to repair the roof surface, because a shingle that has been lifted can slip off the next time someone steps on it.
Before anyone climbs, the technician checks the yard and the roof from the ground for fallen branches, hanging trim and loose sections. A tree on or against the house changes the plan, and that part of the job is handled separately. The roof is only walked once the surface is dry and the crew is sure of its footing.
Wind damage tends to concentrate on the windward side and at the edges, corners and ridges, but the technician checks the full roof because gusts can lift shingles on the lee side too. Each tab is looked at for creasing, cracking and lifted nails. The underside of the eave is checked for shingles that have slipped out of their course.
Any opening the wind has made is checked to see whether water has reached the decking. Wet decking is marked and noted, because it will not hold a nail or a tab properly until it dries. The technician records each opening before the repair so you can see what was found.
Shingles are replaced where they have creased or cracked, and lifted tabs are re-set and fastened with the nails the roof calls for. Flashing that has been pulled away is reset or replaced, because a sealant patch over a loose flashing will fail in the next gust. Gutters and downspouts that were bent by the wind are straightened or replaced as part of the same visit.
Before the crew leaves, the technician walks through what was repaired and what still needs attention. Some storms expose wear that was already there, and that is noted so you can decide on the next step. The record of the storm, with the date and the damage, is useful if you later need to talk to an insurer, and the guide on storm damage and insurance claims in Idaho covers that process.
The National Weather Service and NOAA have recorded reported gusts in the 60 to 77 mph range on the Palouse, with trees falling on homes in Moscow and Pullman. Those are reports from spotters and stations, not a guarantee of what any given street will see. The point is that a gust strong enough to damage a roof is not unusual here.
Reports cited by the National Weather Service describe a November 2006 event with gusts of 71 mph south of Moscow and trees that fell on homes in Moscow. A December 2000 storm produced a 63 mph gust at Pullman with trees and power lines down across the Palouse.
Look from the ground at the windward side for shingles in the yard, lifted tabs and bent trim. Check the attic and the ceiling for new stains after the storm. If you cannot see the roof safely, a technician can check it from the ground and from a ladder placed by the crew.
A roof can be damaged by wind even when it looks intact from the street. Creases in a shingle may only show as a line when you are close to it, and a lifted tab can sit back in place without holding.
The price depends on how many shingles, flashing sections and trim pieces need replacing, the pitch of the roof, and how walkable it is once the storm has passed. Access from the hill or the drive, and any damage to the decking or the gutters, also change the work. The price is explained and approved before any work starts.
A storm that has lifted a few tabs on one side is a small repair, while a storm that has stripped a run of shingles across the roof is a larger job with more decking to check.
Call as soon as the storm has passed and it is safe to check the yard and the house. The phone line is answered around the clock, so a call in the middle of the night is possible. A visit can happen the same day when a technician is free, but it cannot be promised. Put a tarp or a board over a large opening only if you can do it safely from the ground.
Waiting for the wind to fully stop is reasonable, because a roof crew should not work in gusts. Once the wind has dropped, the roof still needs checking before the next rain or thaw.
Some damage shows up at once, while other damage appears after a thaw or a rain. A shingle weakened by wind can crack later in the cold, and a flashing that has moved can let in water in the next melt. A roof checked once after a storm may need a second look after the first major thaw.
The Palouse winter moves water through the roof in cycles, with snow, melt and freezing taking turns. A gap made by the wind can sit quietly through one cycle and admit water in the next.
Shingles that have been lifted or creased along the windward edge are the most common storm damage on the Palouse. A single tab can be replaced, but a run of lifted tabs usually means the nailing or the nailing is worth checking. This repair applies when the decking under the area is sound and the shingles around it are still flexible enough to lift without breaking.
Flashing at a chimney, a wall or a vent pipe can be pulled out by gusts that work at the joint. A gap that looks small from the ground can admit a great deal of water when snow melts or rain runs down the slope. The repair resets the flashing to its original line and replaces any pieces that have bent or split.
The ridge cap and the edge trim take the full force of a gust at the top and the edges of the roof. Lifted ridge caps and loose drip edge are repaired so that the roof covering beneath is protected. This repair often comes with a check of the gutters, since the same wind that lifts trim can bend the gutter it sits against.
Moscow sits on the Palouse, where the rolling hills mean the wind does not hit every street the same way.
The windstorm record covers both sides of the state line. Pullman and Colfax have the same winds as Moscow, but they sit in Washington, and the building rules that govern a storm repair there are set by that state.
Moscow has a large share of rental housing, with owner-occupancy at 40.0 percent in the city according to multi-year Census Bureau estimates. Storm damage on a rental roof is often a landlord's decision and a tenant's inconvenience at the same time, and the repair has to fit around the tenancy.
Tell us what's happening and we'll tell you honestly whether it's a quick fix, and what storm and wind damage roof repair should cost.
Not sure if you're covered? Check your ZIP code.
Emergency roof repair after a tree or limb comes down on a house, starting with safety and a temporary cover.
Repairs to shingles, flashing, valleys and eaves, worked out from where the roof actually lets water in.
Resetting or replacing the metal at valleys, chimneys, sidewalls and vent pipes that keeps water out of a Moscow roof.
Gutter repair and new runs, planned so meltwater leaves the eave instead of freezing at it.
After a windstorm the first steps are safety, documentation and a call to your insurer.
A reroof in Moscow, Idaho and a reroof in Pullman, Washington go through two building departments under two different state systems.
A storm that has opened the roof and is letting water into the house needs prompt attention. The phone line is answered around the clock, so you can call during or after the storm. A visit the same day is possible when a technician is free, but it is not promised. Until someone arrives, keep the water off the floors and away from electrical fixtures.
Coverage depends on your policy and the damage, and this site cannot answer that for you. The guide on storm damage and insurance claims in Idaho explains how the process generally works. Photograph the damage, note the date and call your insurer before any repair starts so the record is complete. A technician can describe what was found in writing for your claim.
Any tree on the roof or leaning against it should be handled by people trained for it, not by a homeowner with a saw. The load can shift when a limb is cut, and the roof or the person below can be hurt. A technician will check the framing under the impact before deciding what needs to come off first. The fallen tree guide describes that case in more detail.
A temporary cover can keep water out until the full repair is possible, provided it is installed safely and does not damage the roof further. A tarp or board can be placed from the ground only in the calm after the storm. Ask the technician whether a temporary cover is the right step for your roof, and when the full repair can be scheduled.
A wind-opened shingle or flashing can let water in slowly, and the leak shows only when enough water reaches the decking. Snowmelt or rain after the storm can carry water into the gap before the stain appears inside. A second look after the next thaw or rain is worth booking, since the leak may be coming from an opening that was not visible on the first check.
Shingle pieces, nails and metal trim in the yard can injure people and pets, so clear them carefully with gloves and a rake. Do not burn debris or throw it into the street. Leave any tree or large limb for the crew to handle, and keep children and animals away from the drop area. A roofer will usually remove the debris from the roof and the yard as part of the job.