Storm Damage 101: What to Do in the First 48 Hours

Michigan sees its share of severe weather — straight-line winds, golf-ball hail, microbursts, and the occasional EF-1 tornado. After the storm passes, two clocks start: the damage clock (water keeps moving inside the structure) and the insurance clock (claims filed faster usually pay faster).

The First 24 Hours

Safety first. Stay off the roof. Walk the perimeter and look for missing shingles in the yard, dented gutters, dings in soft metal (mailbox, A/C unit, screens), and obvious wind lift along ridges and valleys. If you've got an active leak, get water out of the attic and put a tarp over interior soft goods.

Call us for an emergency tarp if your roof is open. We carry 30-foot tarps, ridge caps, and ladder gear in every truck.

Document Everything

This is the single most important thing you can do. Photograph every angle of damage before any cleanup happens, including yard debris and inside ceilings. Note the date, time, and weather event on each photo. Save receipts for tarps, fans, dehumidifiers — anything you spend to mitigate further damage is usually reimbursable.

Working With Insurance

File the claim within 48 hours if you can. The insurance adjuster will come out, but you don't have to accept the first scope or the first dollar amount. We do free inspections for storm-damaged roofs and will walk the adjuster through it with you. We've also worked with most major Michigan carriers and know what they pay vs. what's worth fighting for.

One thing most homeowners don't realize: replacing only the damaged slope of a roof is usually a mistake. Michigan code allows insurance to pay for matching across the full roof if shingles are discontinued. Ask about it.