What to Do After a Storm Damages Your Roof in Tampa Bay
A step-by-step guide for homeowners: what to do in the first 24 hours, how to document damage, and how to avoid the most common mistakes with insurance claims.
Step 1: Safety first
Do not climb on your roof. Wet shingles, loose debris, and compromised structure make it genuinely dangerous. Stay on the ground.
Step 2: Document from the ground
- Take wide-angle photos of each side of the house
- Photograph any obvious damage — missing shingles, fallen branches, dented gutters
- Time-stamp everything. Phones do this automatically; keep the metadata intact
Step 3: Call a roofer for a free drone inspection
A licensed roofer with a drone can assess your roof safely and thoroughly within 30 minutes. Allstar Roofing offers these inspections free, with no obligation. You get a written report with photos that becomes critical if you need to file an insurance claim.
Step 4: Call your insurance company
Do not agree to anything before you have the roofer report in hand. Insurance adjusters often miss damage that an experienced roofer will catch.
Step 5: Get repairs done by a licensed, insured contractor
Avoid storm-chasing roofers knocking on your door the week after a big storm. They often disappear before warranties can be honored. Hire a local, licensed contractor you can find again in year 5.
Emergency? Call us directly
Allstar Roofing keeps emergency response crews on call during storm season. (813) 522-6912.