How to Spot Storm Damage on Your Roof
After a storm, a quick, safe check from the ground and inside your home can tell you a lot. Here’s exactly what to look for – and what to leave to a professional.
Signs That Need Immediate Attention
A large gap in the roof covering, an active leak, or anything that looks structurally displaced should be treated as urgent – that’s storm damage roofing territory, not a wait-and-see situation. Smaller findings, like one or two displaced tiles, are still worth booking in promptly before the next spell of bad weather finds the gap.
Your Post-Storm Roof Checklist
Four straightforward checks tell you almost everything you need to know before calling a professional.
Check From the Ground
Walk around the property and look up at the roofline for anything obviously out of place – missing or displaced tiles, a ridge line that looks uneven, or debris caught in the gutters. Check the garden and driveway too; broken tile or slate fragments on the ground are a strong sign something’s come off the roof.
Check From Inside
Go into the loft with a torch during daylight and switch it off – any pinpricks of daylight showing through mean a gap has opened somewhere. Check ceilings in upstairs rooms for any new staining. Do not go onto the roof itself to check further; that’s a job for a professional with the right access equipment, in line with HSE guidance on working at height.
Document for Insurance
Photograph anything you find from a safe position, including the date, before any repair work starts. This makes an insurance claim considerably easier to support, alongside a written report from whoever carries out the repair explaining the cause.
Get a Professional Inspection
Book a roof inspectionIf you’re not sure what you’re looking at, or the storm was significant, a proper roof inspection covers everything a ground-level check can miss – valleys, flashing, ridge tiles and the loft space – with a written report at the end.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it safe to inspect my own roof after a storm?
Checking from the ground and from inside the loft is safe and sensible – getting onto the roof itself is not something to attempt without proper training and access equipment.
How soon should I get storm damage checked?
As soon as reasonably possible – damage from a storm tends to get worse with each further spell of bad weather rather than staying the same.
Will my insurance need a professional report?
Most insurers expect photographic evidence and, ideally, a written report explaining the cause and extent of the damage to support a claim.
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Found Storm Damage on Your Roof?
Get a fast, honest assessment and a report for your insurance claim if you need one.