Treasure Valley Wind Storm Damage: What to Check on Your Roof This Week

Last night's wind storm hit the Treasure Valley hard. Boise, Meridian, Eagle, Caldwell, Nampa, and Garden City all saw the kind of sustained wind that strips shingles, tears off flashing, and rips entire sections of roofing off a house. If you woke up to debris in your yard or noticed shingles on the driveway, your roof almost certainly took damage too.

Here is what to check, what to do next, and how to make sure your insurance claim gets filed in time.

Wind damage hides from the ground

Most wind damage on a roof is invisible from the driveway. The shingle still sheds water for now. The problem only shows up months later when leaks finally come through into the attic or ceiling.

Wind lifts shingles up, breaks the sealant strip that holds them down, and then sets them back in place. From below the roof looks normal. From above you can see the lifted edges and the failed seals. UV breaks down the exposed sealant over the next few months. The shingle starts blowing off the next windy day. Water finds its way in.

Quick signs your Treasure Valley roof took wind damage

Look for these from the ground: shingles in the yard or driveway, loose or curled shingles visible on the roof from a distance, dents or dings on metal vents or gutters, damage to soft aluminum trim around windows or garage doors, granule build-up in the gutter downspouts, debris piled against the chimney or eaves.

If any of these are visible, your roof almost certainly took damage even if it is not leaking yet.

Why timing on the insurance claim matters

Idaho homeowner insurance policies almost always require wind and storm damage claims to be filed within a certain time frame of the storm. Some carriers go shorter. Miss the window and the roof comes out of pocket.

Most homeowners do not realize they have damage until leaks show up the following winter or spring, which is often after the claim window has closed. The right move after any major Treasure Valley wind storm is a professional roof inspection within the next few weeks, not after the leaks start.

What a real wind damage inspection looks like

A professional wind inspection takes 45 to 90 minutes and includes walking the roof and identifying every lifted or broken shingle, photographing damage to vents and flashing and gutters, inspecting for active water intrusion, counting damage points across each roof slope for the insurance report, and producing a written report with photos that can be submitted directly to the insurance carrier.

Dodd Roofing and Exteriors is offering free wind inspections across the Treasure Valley this week. No cost. The inspector will tell you honestly whether the damage is enough to file a claim or whether the roof can wait.

How the insurance claim process works

If the damage is significant, the typical claim runs through five steps. Call your insurance carrier and open a claim, with the date of the storm ready. Your carrier assigns an adjuster who schedules an inspection, usually within one to two weeks. The adjuster inspects the roof, and your contractor should be on the roof at the same time so all damage gets documented. The carrier issues a scope of work and an initial payment. The contractor completes the work and the final payment is released after the job is done.

Having a roofer experienced in storm claims on the roof with the adjuster is the difference between a full claim and a partial claim. Adjusters work fast and miss damage if no one is pointing it out.

Avoid the storm chasers

Every major Treasure Valley wind storm brings out-of-state storm chaser crews into the area. They knock doors, sign customers up for cheap inspections, and disappear the moment the work is done. The warranty disappears with them. The repairs are usually substandard.

How to spot one: out-of-state phone number, no permanent local office, pressure to sign immediately, and a name you have never heard of in this market.

Stick with a local contractor who has roots in the Treasure Valley. Dodd Roofing and Exteriors is based in Meridian, BBB Spark Award winner, voted Idaho's Best Siding Contractor, and the official roofing partner of Boise State University. Local office. Local crews. Local accountability.

What to do today

If you saw any of the warning signs above, take these steps now. Walk around the outside of the house and take photos of any visible damage and save the photos with today's date. Check the attic for any wet spots, drips, or new water stains on the underside of the roof deck. Save any shingles you find in the yard since adjusters use them as evidence. Schedule a professional inspection within the next two weeks. Do not climb on the roof yourself because wind storm damage can leave shingles loose and unsafe to walk on.

Schedule a free storm inspection

Same-day inspections are available across Boise, Meridian, Eagle, Nampa, Caldwell, Garden City, Kuna, and the rest of the Treasure Valley. No cost. The inspection includes a written report with photos that can go straight to your insurance carrier.

Call (208) 295-9421 or schedule online.