Storm prep
Hurricane Season Roof Checklist for Tallahassee Homeowners
Storm season is part of living in North Florida. Tallahassee sits far enough inland that we usually avoid the worst of it, but hurricanes and tropical storms have reached us before and will again. A little roof prep before the season and a careful check after each storm go a long way. Here is the checklist we use ourselves.
Before the season: the outside walk-around
Walk around your home and look up. You are checking for shingles that are lifted, cracked or missing, flashing that has pulled away from chimneys and walls, and anything loose that wind could pick up. Small problems become big leaks under hurricane rain, and they are cheap to fix in calm weather.
Look at the trees while you are at it. Limbs hanging over the roof are the most common source of storm damage we see. Trim back what you can safely reach and have a tree service handle the rest. This one step prevents more damage than anything else on the list.
Before the season: drainage and the attic
Clean the gutters and make sure downspouts carry water away from the house. A hurricane can drop a season's worth of rain in a day, and every bit of it has to get off your roof and away from your foundation. Clogged gutters turn that water back under the roof edge.
Peek into the attic on a dry day. You are looking for existing stains, damp wood or daylight where it should not be. Fix the small leak now and it cannot become the big one during a storm. While you are up there, note how the roof decking looks so you have a baseline to compare after a storm.
After a storm passes
Stay off the roof. Do the first check from the ground with binoculars if you have them: missing shingles, bent or missing flashing, debris sitting on the roof, sagging gutters. Then check inside for new ceiling stains or drips, and look in the attic for fresh moisture.
Take photos of anything you find before you touch it. If you are filing an insurance claim, that documentation matters, and your policy likely has deadlines for reporting damage. Cover an active leak with a tarp if you can do it safely from a ladder, but leave roof-level work to people with the right equipment.
When to call us
Call if you see missing or damaged roofing, new leaks, debris impact or anything that looks different from your baseline. After big storms, out-of-town crews show up knocking on doors. Be careful with anyone who wants a big deposit up front or pressures you to sign on the spot. We have been here for years and we will be here after the storm crews leave.
We offer free estimates, and after a storm that includes honest damage assessments. If your roof is fine, we will tell you it is fine. If it needs work, we will tell you exactly what and why, in plain language you can hand to your insurance company.
Looking for Metal Roofing in Tallahassee, FL? Learn more about our Metal Roofing service or get in touch directly.
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