How Do You Prepare Your Roof for Storm Season?
Storms do not create most roof damage. They finish it. A shingle tab that lost its seal in March becomes ten missing shingles in a June microburst. A hairline flashing gap becomes a ceiling stain after one hard thunderstorm. Preparation means finding the weak points before the wind does, and the IBHS FORTIFIED Roof program builds its wind and hail guidance around those same weak points.
The National Weather Service office in Boise tracks the valley’s storm pattern, and the takeaway for homeowners is simple: the quiet weeks of April and May are your window. Use them.
Start With a Spring Roof Inspection
A pre season roof inspection is the highest value item on the list. A roofer walks the surface and checks the spots storms attack first: shingle seals, ridge caps, flashing at chimneys and walls, pipe boots and gutter attachment. You get a photo report and a short punch list.
Should I get a roof inspection after a storm too? Yes, whenever hail fell or gusts knocked down branches in your area. Storm damage is often invisible from the ground, and claim windows are easier to meet when damage is documented right away. Bork Roofing offers a free roof inspection across the valley, from Boise to Caldwell.
Fix the Small Stuff: Shingles, Flashing, Gutters
Work through this list on a calm weekend or hand it to your roofer:
- Replace missing shingles and reseal lifted tabs so wind has no edge to grab
- Reseal exposed flashing and nail heads with roofing sealant
- Clear clogged gutters and downspouts; gutter overflow during a downpour sends water behind the fascia and into walls
- Trim branches hanging within a few feet of the roof surface
- Strap down or store anything on the roof or patio that wind can throw
Damaged shingles repair before a storm costs a service call. The same repair after a storm competes with hundreds of other homeowners calling every crew in the valley.
One more prep item: get your insurance basics in order before the season starts. Find your policy, note your deductible and save your agent’s number next to your roofer’s. Snap a few baseline photos of your roof and gutters on a clear day; before and after shots make storm damage easy to prove, and claims move faster when the paperwork starts the same week as the damage.
What Should You Do When a Storm Hits?
During the storm, stay inside and stay off ladders. If water starts coming in, move belongings, catch drips in buckets and photograph everything with your phone, including the time.
Once the wind drops, searches for roof tarping services near me spike across the valley. Save our number in your phone before the season starts. When water shows, ask for emergency roof tarping: our emergency roof repair crew tarps openings first and schedules the permanent fix behind it.
After the Storm: Document, Then Repair
Walk the yard and photograph shingles, granule piles and dented metal. Ask for a professional damage report before you file anything. If the roof took real damage, storm damage roof repair and your insurance claim run side by side, and the paperwork matters as much as the nails.
Bork Roofing has worked Treasure Valley storm claims since 2004: we photograph the damage, write the scope and meet the adjuster on the roof. Read how our roof insurance claim help works, then call (208) 869-6674 before the next front rolls in.
Sources: National Weather Service Boise · Idaho Department of Insurance · IBHS FORTIFIED Roof