After storm damage, put safety first: stay out of rooms where ceilings are bulging, keep people away from loose tiles or chimneys, and never climb onto the roof. Then limit water damage inside, take photos, contact your home insurer, and get a roofer to make the roof safe and watertight. Keep records and receipts for anything you pay for.
Step 1: Make sure everyone is safe
Storms can leave roofs and chimneys unstable.
- Keep people and pets away from areas where tiles, slates or bricks could fall.
- Don't go up a ladder or onto the roof, especially in wind or rain.
- If water is coming through near light fittings or sockets, switch off the electricity at the consumer unit if it is safe to do so, and call an electrician.
- If a ceiling is sagging or bulging with water, keep out of the room.
- If a chimney or wall looks like it could fall onto a pavement or road, keep people away and report it to your local council's building control team, which deals with dangerous structures.
Step 2: Limit the damage inside
Once it is safe:
- put buckets and towels under drips
- move furniture, electrical items and valuables away from leaks
- check the loft with a torch for wet insulation or daylight through the roof, but only if you can do so safely
- open the loft hatch for air if insulation is wet
Step 3: Record the damage
Good records make insurance claims easier.
- Take photos and videos of the roof from the ground, any tiles or debris in the garden, and damage inside.
- Note the date and time of the storm.
- Keep damaged items if you can, until your insurer says otherwise.
- Keep receipts for emergency repairs, tarpaulins or other costs.
Step 4: Contact your insurer
Most buildings insurance policies cover storm damage, but they don't cover wear and tear or damage that has built up gradually. Many policies define a storm by wind speed or heavy rainfall, so check your policy wording.
When storm claims are disputed, the Financial Ombudsman Service usually asks three questions:
- 1Were there storm conditions on or around the date of the damage?
- 2Is the damage consistent with what a storm would cause?
- 3Were the storm conditions the main cause of the damage?
If the roof was already in poor condition, an insurer may argue the storm only showed up an existing problem. That is why photos and a roofer's written report of what they found help.
Most policies expect you to take reasonable steps to stop further damage, so getting a temporary repair done is usually sensible. Ask your insurer before major work if you can.
Step 5: Get the roof made safe and watertight
A roofer will normally:
- make the roof safe, for example by removing loose tiles or securing a chimney
- carry out a temporary repair such as a sheeted cover if a full repair can't be done straight away
- refix or replace slipped and missing tiles, ridges and verges
- check flashing, valleys and gutters for hidden damage
- give you a written report and photos for your insurer
Our guide to slipped, cracked and missing tiles explains how those repairs are done.
What not to do
- Don't climb onto the roof or lean ladders against damaged gutters.
- Don't stand under a damaged chimney or roof edge in the wind.
- Don't let anyone talk you into expensive work on the doorstep straight after a storm. Get a proper inspection and a written quote.
- Don't throw away damaged tiles or debris until your insurer has seen photos.
- Don't leave a small leak, as water can spread through insulation and ceilings.
Common types of storm damage
- Lifted ridge and hip tiles: old mortar breaks down and lets go in strong gusts.
- Loose verges: the tiles along the gable edge are exposed to wind.
- Missing tiles and slates: often where fixings were already worn.
- Damaged flashing: lead around chimneys can lift or tear.
- Flat roof damage: felt can peel at the edges or be torn by debris.
- Blown gutters: gutters and downpipes can be pulled loose.
Preventing damage next time
You can't stop storms, but you can make your roof more resistant:
- have the roof checked annually, ideally before winter
- secure ridges and verges, for example with a dry-fix ridge and verge system
- replace worn fixings and tired flashing
- trim back overhanging branches
In Essex, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire
Exposed roofs in all three counties take the brunt of winter storms.
- The fens: With flat, open fenland all around, Ely and Chatteris roofs catch the wind from every direction. Storms lift ridge tiles and verges.
- The coast and estuary: On the exposed seafront at Thorpe Bay, Chalkwell and Shoeburyness in Southend-on-Sea, strong winds lift ridge and hip tiles. On Canvey Island, roofs take the full force of the wind off the estuary.
- Flat farmland and marsh: With wide, flat farmland and marshes all around, Southminster roofs see storm damage, lifted ridge and hip tiles, loose verges and blown gutters.
- High ground: Bushey Heath stands on some of the highest ground in this part of Hertfordshire, so loose ridge tiles and lifted verges are common after storms.
How First4Roofcare can help
If a storm has damaged your roof, we can make it safe, carry out repairs and give you photos of what we find. See our emergency roofing and roof repairs services, or book a free roof survey so we can check the whole roof once it is safe.