After a severe storm, confirm that everyone is safe, document visible damage from the ground, and take reasonable steps to limit water entry. Call us within the first 24 hours if you can. That is about getting into the queue while the storm date is still clear, not a promise that someone is on your roof by tomorrow.

Advantage Construction checks more than the roof. We inspect accessible areas of the siding, windows, gutters, soffits, fascia, detached structures, and outdoor property to identify conditions the storm may have affected. Early documentation can provide a clearer starting point for repair decisions and conversations with your insurer.

What to Do First When the Storm Passes

Safety takes priority over inspecting storm damage. Wait until the storm has moved through and avoid any part of the property that appears unstable, flooded, or affected by electrical hazards. Use this order to protect yourself and preserve useful information:

  • Call 911 for an immediate threat to life or safety, and report downed or suspected energized lines to emergency services and the utility.
  • Look for active leaks from a safe indoor location. Place a bucket or move belongings only if you can do so without entering a hazardous area.
  • Take photos or video of visible damage before cleanup, including affected areas beyond the main house.
  • Contact your insurer promptly and ask about notice, documentation, temporary protection, and inspection requirements under your policy.
  • Request a professional inspection instead of climbing onto a wet, steep, icy, or visibly damaged roof.
  • Do not move fallen trees, touch electrical equipment near standing water, or enter an area with structural movement.

One more thing about the next few days. Crews will knock on your door, some of them from three states away. Minnesota law bars a roofing contractor from paying, rebating, or waiving your deductible, so anyone offering to do it is breaking the law in front of you. Check the DLI license number before you sign anything

Why Hidden Storm Damage Needs a Timely Inspection

A roof can look normal from the driveway while still having lifted shingles, impact bruising, damaged flashing, loosened vents, or small punctures. Wind-driven debris may also crack siding, damage window components, or pull gutters away from their fasteners. Some openings allow water inside quickly, while others may remain dry and difficult to recognize at first.

Prompt inspection creates a record while the storm date and visible conditions are still clear. It also helps homeowners avoid mistakes that can complicate recovery after severe weather, such as cleaning up before taking photos or attempting an unsafe roof check. An inspection does not mean the home automatically needs repairs or that an insurer will cover every observed condition.

What Advantage Construction Checks After a Storm

Our inspection follows the storm’s effects across the accessible property instead of stopping after a quick look at the shingles. Safe access and site conditions determine which areas we can evaluate during the visit.

Roof and Water-Entry Points

We inspect roofing materials, flashing, vents, penetrations, roof edges, and accessible attic or interior areas when relevant. Missing shingles, exposed decking, displaced flashing, and active leaks may require temporary protection before permanent repairs can be planned.

A professional roof inspection is especially useful when hail or wind marks cannot be evaluated safely from the ground. Our team can explain repair and replacement options for storm-affected roofing based on the extent and location of the observed damage.

Siding, Windows, Gutters, and Exterior Trim

Hail and wind can affect several exterior materials during the same event. We look for dented or cracked siding, damaged screens or glass, loosened panels, displaced gutters, bent downspouts, and damage to soffits or fascia.

Gutter damage also deserves attention because loose sections or poor drainage can direct water toward the siding, foundation, or landscaping. If roof work later becomes necessary, homeowners can then decide whether replacing the gutters with a seamless system fits the repair scope instead of assuming every damaged gutter requires an upgrade.

Garage, Detached Structures, and Outdoor Property

Storm paths do not stop at the main house. When accessible, we check garages, sheds, decks, fencing, outdoor equipment, tree-impact areas, and debris patterns that may help show how the property was affected.

Some items may fall outside our repair scope, but including them in the initial review can help build a fuller property record. It can also reveal where a fallen limb or damaged drainage component created another concern.

How Photos and Video Support the Next Conversation

Take more photos than feels necessary, and take them from two distances. A wide shot from the yard shows an adjuster where on the house the damage sits. A close one shows the cracked panel or the dented vent itself. Note the date and which side of the house you were standing on, because a month from now, you will not remember.

Advantage Construction provides post-storm inspection and claim documentation support, including photos of observed conditions and construction estimates when repairs are needed. These records can help organize the conversation, but the insurance carrier interprets the policy and determines whether the loss is covered.

Emergency Protection Versus Permanent Repair

Temporary protection may be needed when the storm has displaced roofing, opened a hole, or allowed active water entry. A professionally installed tarp or temporary covering can help limit additional exposure until conditions are safe and the permanent repair scope is known. Temporary work should not be treated as a finished repair.

Call a professional when you see exposed decking, missing roof sections, fallen limbs, structural movement, or an active leak that cannot be managed safely from inside. A coordinated review can also help determine where to begin exterior repairs after storm damage when the roof, siding, windows, and gutters were affected together.

When to Schedule Free Home Inspection Service

The best first response is a calm one. Photograph before you clean up, call your insurer, and let someone else get on the roof. A professional roof inspection after storm damage will tell you whether you are looking at temporary protection, a repair, a full replacement, or nothing at all.

Call Advantage Construction within the first 24 hours if you can. After a widespread storm, we work through the queue in order, so the sooner you are in it, the better. The inspection is free, and there is no obligation to have us do the work.