Home emergency playbook
Roof leaking during a storm
Conservative first steps for homeowners before cleanup, repair, or contractor dispatch. When safety is uncertain, leave and call first.
Immediate steps
- Move people and valuables away from the wet ceiling, skylight, chimney, or exterior wall line.
- Place buckets, towels, or a plastic bin under active drips and protect furniture with plastic sheeting.
- Check the attic only from a safe walkway and only when there is no lightning, high wind, or ceiling sag.
- Call a roofer after the storm eases; call restoration sooner if insulation, ceilings, or electrical fixtures are wet.
Do not do this
- Do not climb onto the roof, set a ladder, or walk on wet decking during the storm.
- Do not pull down a sagging ceiling or wet insulation while standing underneath it.
- Do not staple tarps through shingles or flashing from an unsafe edge.
Who to call
- Call 911 if anyone is injured, trapped, in medical distress, or if fire, shock, collapse, or active crime is present.
- Call the utility emergency line before private repair when gas, electric service, public water, sewer main, or buried lines may be involved.
- Call a roofer for emergency tarp, flashing, roof-edge, siding-adjacent, or storm-damage repairs when access is safe.
Damage mitigation
- Slide plastic over beds, electronics, and flooring, then put towels on top so drips do not splash.
- If attic access is safe, place a shallow pan under the leak and keep it off drywall between joists.
- Photograph the interior drip path, stained insulation, and exterior roof area from the ground after daylight.
Prevention
- Inspect flashing at chimneys, valleys, skylights, and plumbing vents before storm season.
- Keep attic insulation below roof vents and maintain ventilation so sheathing can dry.
- Trim branches that rub shingles or drop debris into valleys and gutters.
Typical cost band
Usually moderate for temporary weatherproofing; high when roof decking, insulation, ceilings, or interiors are wet.
Insurance note
Wind or hail opening coverage differs from wear, flashing failure, and long-term seepage; document storm timing and roof photos before temporary tarping.
Related ProFix resources
Roofer emergency guideTrade-specific dispatch, utility-first, and after-hours cost guidance.Troubleshooting encyclopediaSymptoms, maintenance intervals, contracts, and warranty norms.National FAQHiring, licensing, scams, permits, and DIY boundaries.Cost calculatorPlan the permanent repair after the emergency is controlled.