Storm-Damage Roof Inspection Checklist

The checklist

1. The perimeter walk (ground level, all four sides)

• Shingles, tile pieces, or flashing in the yard or on the driveway — collect a sample and note where it landed
• Gutters pulled away, bent, or missing sections
• Downspouts detached or crushed
• Fascia boards cracked, split, or hanging
• Debris impacts on siding near the roofline (tells you where roof impacts likely occurred too)

2. The roof surface (binoculars from the ground)

• Missing shingles — dark patches where shingles tore off, worst at ridges, eaves, and rakes
• Lifted or creased shingles — shingles that flapped in the wind lose their seal even if they laid back down; look for uneven or wavy courses
• Cracked, slipped, or missing tiles on tile roofs — each gap is a direct water path
• Exposed underlayment or decking — black felt or bare wood showing through means the waterproofing layer is compromised
• Dented vents, flashing, or metal valleys — hail signatures; also check AC condenser fins and mailbox for hail confirmation
• Ridge cap damage — the ridge takes the most wind; missing ridge caps are extremely common after tropical systems

3. Flashing and penetrations

• Chimney flashing peeled or lifted
• Vent pipes tilted or with torn boots
• Skylight frames shifted or cracked
• Satellite dishes or antennas ripped loose (their mounts tear the roofing around them)

4. Inside the house

• New water stains on ceilings or walls — mark the edges with pencil and date them to track spreading
• Active drips during the next rain (note the exact location relative to roof features above)
• Musty smells in the attic within days of the storm
• Daylight visible through the roof boards in the attic
• Sagging drywall on ceilings

5. The attic (if safely accessible)

• Wet insulation or water trails on rafters
• Damp spots on the underside of decking — trace them uphill to find the entry point
• Mold starting on wood surfaces (can begin within 48–72 hours in Florida humidity)

Documenting for insurance

• Photograph every issue wide and close-up, with timestamps on
• Shoot video walking the full perimeter — narrate what you see
• Save weather records for the storm date (National Weather Service archives are free)
• Keep a written log: date, time, what you found, who you called
• Don’t throw away damaged materials until the adjuster has seen them — bag and label samples instead

When to call a professional immediately

• Any active leak or visible hole
• More than a few missing shingles or tiles
• Structural concerns — sagging rooflines, cracked rafters visible in the attic
• Damage you can see but can’t safely assess further

A licensed roofer’s inspection is also the document that turns your checklist into a repair scope — and it’s what you compare against the insurance adjuster’s assessment. See our storm damage service page for what happens next, including claim tips.