After a nor'easter or a coastal flood, a roof can be checked from the ground and from inside the building. The checklist covers the wind marks on the covering, the water at the joints, the gutters and drains, and the attic, and it says what to photograph and when to call a roofer.
Key takeaways
- Check the side of the roof that faced the wind, and compare it with the sheltered side.
- Look for water marks on the walls and debris in the gutters, which show how high the flood reached.
- Check the joints at chimneys, walls and vents, where wind and water find the openings.
- Check the attic for damp, staining and daylight, especially under the storm side.
- Photograph each finding with the date before anything is cleared.
Step one: the wind marks
Look from the ground at the edges, the ridge and the storm-side slopes for lifted tabs, creased covering and dented metal.
Lifted and creased covering on the storm side is the first sign of wind. Dented vent caps and flashing are a clear record of impact. Photograph each, with its position on the house.
- Lifted tabs and creases on the storm side
- Dented vent caps and flashing
- Each photographed with position
Step two: the water marks
Look at the walls near the ground for a line where water stood, and at the gutters and downpipes for sand, silt or weed.
A line on the walls and debris in the gutters show how high flood water reached. Note the height against a known point, such as a window sill, and photograph it.
- A line on the walls where water stood
- Sand, silt or weed in the gutters and downpipes
- The height noted against a known point
Step three: the joints and the drains
Check the joints at chimneys, walls and vents, and the outlets of the gutters and the drains on any flat section.
Wind and water find the joints first, and the outlets carry the flood debris. Clear the outlets by hand from a stable ladder, and record each one.
- Joints at chimneys, walls and vents
- Outlets cleared and recorded
- Flat-section drains checked
Step four: the attic
Check under the storm side for damp, staining and daylight, and note any wet insulation.
Damp on the underside of the decking, a dark stain on the rafters or daylight at a joint shows water has got through. Note the date and the position, and call a roofer if a stain grows.
- Damp on the underside of the decking
- Dark staining on the rafters
- Daylight at a joint
Step five: the photographs and the call
Keep dated photographs of each finding, and call a roofer for any open area, any sag or any growing stain.
Keep the photographs in one folder with the date and the position of each. Call a roofer for an open area, a sag in the decking, water in the attic or a stain that grows. The line is answered and a roofer is sent as soon as one is free.
- One folder with dates and positions
- Call for an open area, a sag or a growing stain
- The line answers and a roofer is sent
Working the checklist in the right order
Start with the wind marks on the storm side, then the water line, the joints, the attic and last the photographs, so each step builds on the one before.
The order matters. The wind marks show which side took the storm. The water line shows how high the flood reached. The joints show where water could enter, and the attic shows where it did. The photographs are taken as each step is done, so the record follows the sequence of the check.
- Wind marks first
- Then the water line
- The joints, the attic and the photographs in turn
What a homeowner should not do during the check
Do not climb a wet roof, do not walk through flood water and do not clear the debris from the roof before it is photographed.
Three things to avoid: climbing a wet roof, walking into standing flood water near wires, and clearing debris from the roof before it is recorded. Each has a cost, in a fall, a shock or a lost piece of evidence.
- No climbing a wet roof
- No walking in flood water near wires
- No clearing before photographing
Following up after the check
Book the roofer's visit for any open area, a sag or a growing stain, and keep the check's record with the roof file.
The check is the start of a follow-up. Each finding that is open is booked, with its date, and the next check is set. The record is kept with the roof file so the storm, the flood and the repairs can be read together later.
- Book each open finding with its date
- Set the next check
- Keep the record with the roof file
A worked example of the checklist
A homeowner on the shore side walks the roof edge after a nor'easter, finds a water line and sand in the gutters, and books the roofer for the same week.
Take a house near the shore after a nor'easter. The homeowner photographs the house from the ground, notes the water line against a window sill, clears the outlets by hand from a secure ladder and finds two lifted tabs on the storm side. The roofer's visit that week confirms the tabs, checks the attic and records the water line as a separate finding. The homeowner keeps both records in one folder.
- Water line photographed against a sill
- Outlets cleared by hand from a secure ladder
- Roofer's visit records water and wind separately
Knowing when the check has been done well enough
When each step has been completed and recorded, and the open items are booked with dates, the check is complete for the moment.
A check is complete when each of the five steps has been done and recorded, and each open item has a date booked. The check is not a guarantee that nothing is wrong. It is a record that the roof was looked at, what was seen and what remains to be done.
- Each of the five steps done and recorded
- Each open item booked with a date
- A record, not a guarantee
Storms in a row
Repeat the check after each storm, and compare the new record with the last, so the change from one storm to the next is clear.
Storms come in sequence, and the damage from one can be hidden by the next. Repeat the check after each storm and set the new photographs beside the old. The change between them is the record that shows what the latest storm did.
- Repeat the check after each storm
- Set new photographs beside the old
- The change between records is the finding
Why the photographs come first
Because a flood's marks fade within days, and the first photographs are the only record of the water line as it was.
Water lines on walls dry and fade, and the debris in the gutters is cleared as soon as the house is tidied. The photographs taken in the first hour are the only record of the water line as it was, so they come before any clearing or tidying.
- Water lines fade within days
- The first photographs are the only record
- Photograph before tidying
Recording a flood's height
Note the height of the water line against a fixed point on the house, such as a window sill, a door frame or a brick course.
A height in feet and inches is more useful than a note that the water was high. Measure from a fixed point, such as a sill or a course of brick, and write the measurement and the point with the photograph. The record then shows exactly how high the water reached.
- Measure from a fixed point
- Write the measurement with the point
- Photograph the measurement in place
Clearing the outlets safely
Clear the outlets by hand from a stable ladder, with a second person holding it, and do not reach across the gutter from the ladder.
A ladder used to clear a gutter is the most common cause of a fall in this work. Set it on firm ground, tie it off where possible, keep the body centred within the rails and have a second person hold it. Do not reach across the gutter; move the ladder instead.
- Ladder on firm ground
- A second person holding it
- Move the ladder rather than reach across
Recording who was on the roof
Write down who went on the roof, when, and for what purpose, so the record shows who saw the roof and when.
A short note of who was on the roof, the date and the reason is part of the record. It shows who saw the damage and when, and it answers the question of whether the roof was disturbed before the inspection.
- Who went on the roof, and when
- The reason for each visit
- Part of the record for the insurer
Frequently asked questions
Should I check the roof straight after the storm?
Yes, from the ground and the attic if it is safe, while the marks are fresh.
Can I walk the roof after a flood?
Not safely. Look from the ground and let a roofer walk it with the right protection.
What if the water reached the walls?
Photograph the line and the height, and call a roofer for the walls and the drainage.
Is a checklist enough for a claim?
No. The checklist records what you see. A roofer's dated inspection is the record an insurer will want.
Sources
This guide is general information for Newport News (independent city) homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.