Storms do predictable things to roofs in the South East: they lift tiles on the windward side, strip mortar-bedded ridges, and drive rain under flashings. Here is what to do, in order.
First hour
- Stay off the roof and away from the eaves. Loose tiles come down without warning.
- Deal with water inside. Buckets, towels, move furniture. Pierce a bulging ceiling with a small hole to let water drain into a bucket.
- Isolate electrics in any affected room.
- Photograph everything: the roof from the ground, debris in the garden, and all interior damage, with timestamps.
First day
- Call your insurer to open a claim and ask whether they want to appoint their own contractor. Most are happy for you to use your own roofer for emergency making-safe.
- Call a roofer for a temporary fix. Tarpaulin, re-seated tiles or a temporary flashing to stop further water. Keep the receipt; it is usually recoverable.
- Do not accept a knock on the door. Storms bring itinerant "roofers" who spot damage from the road. Use someone with a trading address, insurance and reviews you can check.
First week
Get a written report with photographs and an itemised quotation for the permanent repair. Insurers accept these readily when they are dated and specific. We provide this as standard and will speak to the loss adjuster directly if it helps.
Preventing the next one
- Replace mortar-bedded ridges and verges with dry-fix systems, which cannot blow off.
- Mechanically fix tiles at eaves, verges and ridges on exposed roofs.
- Keep gutters clear so storm water drains rather than backing up under the eaves.
Storm damage now? See our emergency roofing page for availability and what we do on the first visit.