Puget Sound windstorms do their work quickly — and often invisibly. Lifted shingles and loosened flashing rarely show from the ground, but they let water in all winter. Here's the practical sequence after a significant storm.
First: safety and containment
- Stay off the roof. Wet, damaged roofs are dangerous even for professionals with equipment.
- If water is coming in, contain it — buckets, towels, move belongings — and if it's near fixtures or wiring, kill power to that circuit.
- Photograph everything from the ground and inside: fallen limbs, visible shingle damage, wet ceilings, dripping.
Second: get the damage documented properly
This is the step that determines how the next months go. A professional inspection soon after the storm creates a dated, photographed record of exactly what happened — which matters for two reasons:
- If you file a claim, prompt documentation ties the damage clearly to the event. Waiting months blurs the line between storm damage and wear, and gives water time to compound the problem.
- If you don't file, you still know precisely what needs repair before the next storm finds the same weaknesses.
Third: decide whether a claim makes sense
Homeowners insurance typically covers sudden-event damage — wind, hail, fallen tree limbs. It does not cover normal wear and aging. And not every legitimate claim is worth filing: if repair costs land near your deductible, filing may gain you little. An honest contractor will tell you which situation you're in; that's exactly what our free storm inspections are for.
What to expect from the claims process
File promptly with photos. Your insurer sends an adjuster to scope the damage; it helps to have your roofing contractor present so the full scope — including what's visible only from on the roof — gets seen. Once approved, repairs or replacement proceed per the scope.
One warning
After major storms, out-of-town "storm chasers" canvass damaged neighborhoods with high-pressure pitches. Verify any contractor's Washington license and insurance, get everything in writing, and be wary of anyone who wants to "handle the whole claim" with a signature on day one.
Suspect storm damage? First Choice Roof Service provides free, photo-documented storm inspections across the Greater Puget Sound area — and honest advice on whether a claim makes sense. Call (425) 270-1525.