A Monsoon Storm Damaged My Home and Roof — What Are My Next Steps?

Arizona monsoon storms can arrive quickly and leave behind serious damage. High winds, heavy rain, hail, lightning, and flying debris can damage your roof, trees, windows, fences, exterior walls, and even the inside of your home.

If you wake up after a storm and realize your property has been damaged, don't panic—but don't ignore it either. Taking the right steps now can help prevent additional damage and make the insurance and repair process much easier.

1. Make Safety Your First Priority

Before worrying about repairs, make sure everyone is safe.

Watch for fallen power lines, damaged electrical systems, broken glass, unstable trees or branches, standing water, ceiling damage, and structural problems.

If something doesn't look safe, don't attempt to repair it yourself. Contact the appropriate professional.

2. Take Photos and Video BEFORE Cleaning Up

One of the most important things you can do is document the damage.

Take plenty of photographs and videos showing the condition of your home immediately following the storm.

Document the roof from a safe location, damaged shingles or tiles, water intrusion, ceiling stains, broken windows, damaged fences, fallen trees and limbs, damaged landscaping, and damaged personal belongings.

Don't throw damaged items away until you've documented them whenever reasonably possible.

3. Prevent Additional Damage

Once you've documented what happened, take reasonable steps to keep the damage from getting worse.

For example, a damaged roof may need to be temporarily tarped. A broken window may need to be covered, and standing water may need to be addressed quickly.

The objective isn't necessarily to complete permanent repairs immediately. It's to prevent another rainstorm from turning a manageable problem into a much larger one.

Keep receipts for emergency repairs, materials, cleanup, and other storm-related expenses.

4. Contact Your Homeowners Insurance Company

If the damage appears significant, contact your homeowners insurance carrier or agent and ask about the claims process and what documentation they require.

Find out what your deductible is and ask what steps they want you to take before permanent repairs begin.

Insurance coverage varies considerably from policy to policy, so don't assume something is—or isn't—covered without checking your particular policy.

5. Have Your Roof Professionally Inspected

A roof can suffer storm damage that isn't immediately obvious from the ground.

Tiles can become cracked or displaced, shingles can be lifted or damaged, flashing can loosen, and water can find its way underneath roofing materials.

You may not discover the problem until the next storm.

Having a qualified roofing professional inspect the roof can help identify problems before they become more expensive.

6. Be Careful Who You Hire

Major storms sometimes bring contractors and repair companies looking for quick business.

Don't feel pressured into signing a contract immediately.

Verify contractors are appropriately licensed for the work involved, check references and reputation, understand the scope of work, and get estimates in writing.

Be particularly cautious about turning over insurance proceeds or signing agreements you don't completely understand.

7. What If You're Planning to Sell Your Home?

This is where calling your Realtor can become extremely important.

Storm damage doesn't automatically mean you can't sell your home.

It means we need to determine what happened, what needs to be repaired, what should be documented, and how it could affect the transaction.

If you're already under contract, timing can become even more important.

Depending upon the circumstances and your contract, storm damage occurring before closing may need to be addressed between the buyer and seller. That's why you should contact your Realtor promptly rather than trying to figure everything out yourself.

Your Home Is One of Your Biggest Investments

Arizona monsoons are part of living in this beautiful state, but the damage they occasionally cause shouldn't be taken lightly.

Document the damage, protect your property, contact your insurance company when appropriate, and use reputable professionals to make the necessary repairs.

And if you're buying, selling, or preparing to sell a home that has experienced storm damage, I'm here to help you navigate the real estate side of the situation.

Wes Stolsek

OMNI Homes International

520-404-9773

www.wesleystolsek.com

When Mother Nature throws something unexpected at your home, you don't have to figure out the real estate implications alone.