Wind-lifted or missing shingles
Edges and ridge lines lift first. A repair may be a handful of shingles, or the sealing strips may be broken across a wider area. See the wind damage page for how roofers tell the two apart.
Urgent? Call to reach a local roofer
Storm Damage Roof Repair in Hartford
Wind, fallen limbs and wind-driven rain damage Connecticut roofs. See what to document, what a temporary tarp does and what repairs follow.
- Roof repair and full replacement
- Ice dams, leaks and storm damage
- Connected to an independent local roofer
Get a fast quote
Fastest: call (833) 751-2102. Or send this and we call you back.
Storm Damage
Storm Damage Roof Repair: what it covers
Quick answer
After a storm, a roofer checks for lifted or missing shingles, punctures from limbs, bent flashing and water that got inside. A tarp may go on first, with repairs once the roof is dry. Hartford Roofing connects Hartford County callers with an independent roofer, and one is sent when a crew is free.
Storm damage to a roof is rarely a single thing. A gust lifts shingles at the edge, a limb lands on a slope, rain gets under the exposed felt and a ceiling stain shows up a day later. What you do in the first hour matters: keep people clear, photograph what you can see from the ground, and call.
Connecticut has had storms that left a mark on roofs. Tropical Storm Isaias on August 4, 2020 brought gusts of 68 mph in Bridgeport and 66 mph in New Haven, more than 1,152,000 outages statewide and nine days to restore power. On May 15, 2018 a microburst north of Hartford produced a 60 mph gust at Windsor Locks and tree and line damage in Hartland, Granby, East Granby, Enfield, Suffield, Windsor Locks, Ellington, Vernon and East Windsor.
This page covers what a roofer does after a storm, in what order, and what to document. If you have a leak or an open roof, call (833) 751-2102 and say what you see; you will be connected with an independent roofer who serves your town and sent when a crew is free.
- Service area
- Hartford & Hartford County
- Availability
- Call to reach a local roofer, emergencies first
- Phone
- (833) 751-2102
What should I photograph after a storm hits my roof?
Photograph the damage from the ground, any limbs or debris on the roof, bare spots and shingles in the yard, interior stains and anything the water touched. Include a wide shot of each side of the house and note the date. Photos taken before repairs are the record you will want later.
Take wide shots first so the damage can be placed on the house, then close ones. Photograph inside too: the ceiling stain, wet insulation if you can see it from the attic hatch, and any water on the floor.
A roofer will also photograph the roof from above. If you plan to speak with an insurer, ask for copies. The roof insurance claim help page explains what a documented inspection looks like, without predicting any claim outcome.
How long can I wait before the roof is covered?
Water damage grows the longer an opening stays uncovered, so an open roof is worth calling about right away. A roofer can arrive when a crew is free, and no arrival time is promised. Until then, move belongings, catch drips and photograph the damage.
After a widespread storm, roofers are in demand. Isaias left 1,152,000 outages across Connecticut and nine days to restore power, which gives a sense of how many households were calling for help at once. If the roof is open, say so first, so the roofer you reach knows what you are describing.
If it is only missing shingles on a dry day, you may be able to wait for a repair visit, but the underlayment is not made to be left bare for long.
How is damage from a microburst different from damage from a long wind event?
A microburst is a short, intense downdraft that can flatten trees and strip shingles in a narrow path, while a long gale like a tropical storm loads every slope for hours. The first tends to bring limb impacts and localized damage, the second creased and lifted shingles across a whole roof.
The May 2018 storm that passed north of Hartford is described as a microburst, with a 60 mph gust at Windsor Locks and damage in a string of towns from Hartland to East Windsor. In that kind of event, one street can be hit and the next can look untouched, and damage often arrives as a tree or a limb on a roof.
Isaias in August 2020 is the other pattern, a wide storm with gusts across the state. A roof that was already tired can come out of an event like that with shingles that have lost their seal along an edge, which is hard to see from the ground and does not always leak the same week. If you think your roof was stressed but cannot see damage, a roof inspection can look at the edges and ridge.
Does storm damage mean a full replacement?
Not necessarily. Many storm repairs are localized to a slope, an edge or a few shingles. A full replacement comes up when damage covers much of the roof, when shingles are too old to repair cleanly, or when a repair would not hold. A roofer should show you the reasons.
If a roof is already near the end of its life, a storm may be the push that makes replacement the sensible choice. A re-roof needs a building permit under the 2022 Connecticut State Building Code, and asphalt shingles are limited to two layers, so a roofer may need to strip down.
See the roof replacement page for what that involves.
Warning signs
Signs you need storm damage roof repair
Treat any wire down in a yard or hanging from a tree as live, stay well back and call the utility. Do not go onto a storm-damaged roof or stand under a limb that is hanging, and do not try to pull a tarp over the roof alone. Calling is the fastest fix.
- Shingles, ridge caps or sections of roofing lying in the yard, on the driveway or in a neighbor's lot after the wind
- Bare patches, exposed black felt or visible roof boards where shingles used to be
- A limb, tree top or a whole tree resting on the roof, a porch roof or the garage
- A new ceiling stain, dripping, or a damp spot in the attic that was not there before the storm
- Flashing at a chimney, vent or wall that is bent, lifted or hanging loose
- Gutters bent, pulled off or full of granules and bits of shingle
- A tarp that blew off, or siding and soffit panels that have come loose near the roof edge
- Daylight visible through a ceiling or roof deck from the attic
Our process
How our storm damage roof repair visit works
Stay clear and look from the ground
Keep people away from downed limbs and any wire. Walk around the house, photograph what you see from the ground and note the time and date. A phone zoom shows a lot without anyone going near the roof.
Call and describe the damage
The person who answers connects you with a roofer who serves your town. Say whether there is an open hole, an active leak or only missing shingles, because that decides what is urgent. A roofer comes when a crew is free, which may be later after a widespread storm.
Make the roof watertight with a temporary cover
If the roof is open or leaking, a roofer may secure a tarp or cover the opening so rain cannot get in. It is a stopgap that buys time for a proper repair, and it is generally fastened with care, since nails or staples through the tarp leave holes of their own.
Inspect the full roof, not only the obvious spot
A roofer checks the slope that took the damage, the edges and ridge, the flashing and the underlayment. Wind often damages more than one place, and an adjacent slope can have creased shingles that are hard to see from below.
Repair, document and talk through the options
Damaged shingles, flashing and decking are repaired or replaced, and photos are taken of each step. If the damage is spread across much of the roof, the roofer may talk with you about replacement and about what an insurer may want to see.
Options
Types and options for storm damage roof repair
Impact from limbs or a fallen tree
A limb can crack shingles, dent the deck or punch through to the attic. If a tree is still on the roof, a tree service has to remove it before a roofer can fully assess and repair what is underneath.
Water entry after the storm
Rain driven sideways gets under shingles, flashing and soffit, and shows up inside as stains or damp insulation. The repair is the roof side, and drying and any interior work are separate.
Cost
How much does storm damage roof repair cost in Hartford?
Published Connecticut roofing prices differ widely, so this page gives no figure. Storm repairs are priced by how much of the roof was hit and how hard it is to reach.
| Job | Typical range | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary tarp or cover over an opening | Small scope | A short-term measure, priced on its own |
| Replacing a small number of shingles and sealing flashing | Small to moderate scope | Matching existing shingles can change the quote |
| Repairing deck boards under a damaged area | Moderate scope | Found once shingles are stripped back |
| Repairing damage from a fallen limb | Moderate to larger scope | Tree removal, if needed, is usually a separate bill |
| Replacing a roof slope or the whole roof | Larger scope | Covered by the roof replacement quote and permit rules |
The roofer you reach sets the price and puts it in writing before any work starts, apart from any emergency cover you agree to on the day. Your insurer decides what it will pay, and this site cannot predict an outcome.
Still stuck? We pick up 24/7.
If it's an emergency, call now. For non-urgent storm damage roof repair, send the form and we'll call you back.
Hartford County
Why storm damage roof repair is different in Greater Hartford
Greater Hartford storms come in different shapes. The 2020 tropical storm was a long wind event across the state, while the 2018 microburst was a short burst of damaging wind north of Hartford. A roofer who sees limb damage from a microburst and shingle damage from a long gale is dealing with different repairs.
Wooded lots in the hill towns raise the odds that a limb ends up on the roof. Towns such as Burlington, Canton and Bolton have wooded lots and hill exposure, where branches and leaves land on roofs and valleys.
For wind-specific shingle damage, see wind damage roof repair; for water coming in now, the emergency roof leak repair page covers the first steps.
Related
Related services
Wind Damage Roof Repair
Wind lifts shingle edges, creases tabs and strips ridge caps. Learn how roofers find the damage and how repairs are made.
Emergency Roof Leak Repair
Water through a ceiling after a thaw or storm: what to do first, and how a call connects you to an independent local roofer.
Roof Insurance Claim Help
How a local roofer documents ice, wind and fallen-tree damage in Hartford and Hartford County so you can talk to your insurer, and where the roofer's role ends.
Where we work
Storm Damage Roof Repair across Hartford County
- Storm Damage in Hartford
- Storm Damage in West Hartford
- Storm Damage in East Hartford
- Storm Damage in Wethersfield
- Storm Damage in Bloomfield
- Storm Damage in Newington
- Storm Damage in Rocky Hill
- Storm Damage in Windsor
- Storm Damage in South Windsor
- Storm Damage in New Britain
- Storm Damage in Manchester
- Storm Damage in Glastonbury
- Storm Damage in Avon
- Storm Damage in Farmington
- Storm Damage in Simsbury
- Storm Damage in East Windsor
- Storm Damage in Berlin
- Storm Damage in Cromwell
- Storm Damage in Plainville
- Storm Damage in Windsor Locks
- Storm Damage in Bolton
- Storm Damage in Portland
- Storm Damage in Canton
- Storm Damage in Burlington
- Storm Damage in Marlborough
- Storm Damage in Middletown
- Storm Damage in Bristol
- Storm Damage in Southington
Not sure if you're covered? Check your ZIP code.
Guides
Read before you book
Do You Need a Permit to Re-Roof a House in Connecticut?
Yes for a full re-roof: a building permit is required under the 2022 Connecticut State Building Code.
After a Storm: A Roof Damage Checklist for Hartford County Homes
After a storm, stay off the roof and look from the ground.
FAQ
Storm Damage Roof Repair FAQs
Can I get a roofer the same day after a storm?
A roofer comes when a crew is free, and no arrival time or same-day visit is promised. After a widespread storm, crews are stretched. Say plainly if the roof is open or leaking so the roofer knows what you are facing.
Who removes a tree that is on my roof?
A tree service usually removes the tree, and the roofer then repairs what is under it. Sometimes a roofer will tarp the damage first. Ask whether the roofer works with a tree service, and do not cut a loaded limb yourself.
Will a tarp fix a storm-damaged roof?
No, a tarp is a stopgap that keeps rain out until a real repair can be made. It can blow off in wind and does not replace damaged decking, flashing or shingles. Ask the roofer how long the tarp is meant to stay and what comes next.
Can a roofer tell if a limb dented my roof deck?
Yes, by lifting the shingles around the impact and checking the boards, and sometimes from the attic. A dented or cracked deck board is replaced before new shingles go on, since shingles over a weak board will not sit flat.
Do I have to call my insurer before a roofer comes?
This site cannot tell you what your policy requires, so check it or ask your insurer. Photographs and a written description from the roofer help whatever you decide. Do not agree to permanent repairs on a promise of any claim outcome.
What if only part of my roof was hit?
A roofer can repair a section, but matching old shingles can be hard, and an older roof may need more than the damaged spot. Ask what the roofer sees on the rest of the roof and have it written down.