A storm opened the roof or broke the windows: securing a Dallas home the same day

The order of operations after the storm passes

Once the storm has passed and everyone is safe, photograph the damage, then get the openings covered the same day: a tarp over the damaged roof and boards over broken windows or doors. Temporary repairs like these are generally fine to make before the adjuster visits, according to the Texas Department of Insurance, but permanent repairs should wait until you have talked to your insurer. Keep every receipt, move belongings away from leaks, and call a restoration company if water has already come inside.

We are SERVPRO of Park Cities. Juan and I own the company, and after severe weather our crews board up, tarp roofs, remove debris and dry out what got wet, then handle roofing and reconstruction. This is the checklist we would walk you through on the phone the night of a storm.

What North Texas storms tend to do to a house

Our area gets a mix of severe weather that damages homes in predictable ways. Spring and early summer thunderstorms bring hail, which can bruise or crack shingles, dent gutters and break skylights and windows. Straight-line winds lift shingles, peel back flashing and drop limbs onto roofs, fences and cars. Tornadoes are less frequent but can cause severe structural damage in a narrow path. And winter ice storms bring down trees and cause their own roof and gutter problems.

The damage that hurts most afterward is rarely the hole itself. It is the rain that follows. An opening the size of a dinner plate can let enough water into an attic over one night to soak insulation, stain ceilings and bring drywall down in the rooms below. That is why securing the house quickly matters more than almost anything else in the first day.

Safety comes before photos

Before you do anything else, check for hazards. Stay away from downed power lines and anything they touch, and call the utility. If you smell gas, leave the house and call from outside. If a tree is on the roof or a wall is visibly damaged, stay out of that part of the house until someone qualified has looked at it. If water is coming through a ceiling near light fixtures, turn off power to that area at the breaker if you can do it safely.

Do not climb onto a wet or damaged roof yourself, especially in the dark or while storms are still around. A fall is a far bigger problem than a leak. A pitched roof after rain is slippery, and damaged decking can give way. A tarp installed a few hours later by people with the right equipment is much better than a fall.

• Stay clear of downed lines and report them
• Leave and call from outside if you smell gas
• Keep out of rooms under a tree or visible structural damage
• Cut power near leaking ceilings if you can reach the panel safely
• Stay off the roof

Document the damage before anything changes

As soon as it is safe, take photos and video of everything: the roof from the ground, broken windows, damaged siding and gutters, fallen limbs, ceiling stains and any water inside. Include wide shots and close-ups, and photograph hail against something that shows its size if you can. The Texas Department of Insurance advises taking pictures and video of the damage, not throwing damaged items away until your insurance company tells you to, and keeping a list of everyone you talk to at the insurance company.

Then report the claim. TDI's guidance after hail and windstorms is to file as soon as you can, and to be available when the adjuster visits so you can make sure they see everything. Write down the claim number, the adjuster's name and the date of each call.

Tarping and board-up: the temporary repairs that protect the claim

Temporary repairs are your part of preventing further damage. TDI tells homeowners to prevent more damage by covering broken windows and holes and removing standing water, notes that your policy may pay for temporary repairs, and says to save all receipts. A tarp over the damaged section of roof and plywood over broken windows and doors are the standard examples.

Board-up and roof tarping are emergency services we provide. A properly installed tarp extends well past the damaged area, is fastened so wind cannot get under it, and directs water off the roof rather than into a seam. Boarded openings keep out rain, animals and people while the house waits for permanent repairs. We photograph the damage before we cover it, so your adjuster can see what was underneath.

What you should not do is replace the roof or install new windows before your insurer has seen the damage. TDI's guidance is to hold off on permanent repairs until you have talked to your insurance company.

If water already got inside

A roof opening during a downpour often means wet attic insulation, a stained or sagging ceiling and water running down inside walls. Move furniture, rugs and electronics out of the way, put containers under active drips, and if a ceiling is bulging with water, keep people out from under it.

Wet insulation and drywall need to be dried or removed quickly. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency advises drying water-damaged areas within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold growth. Our crews extract water, remove soaked materials that cannot be saved, and set drying equipment, then monitor until the structure is dry, the same process I describe for any water loss. Because we also handle roofing and reconstruction, the roof, the ceiling and the walls can be repaired by the same company once the claim is settled.

Storm chasers and other expensive mistakes

After a big hailstorm, neighborhoods fill with door knockers offering free inspections and fast roofs. Some are legitimate. Others are not local, and when the season ends, they are gone. Be especially careful with anyone who offers to waive or cover your deductible. TDI states plainly that it is illegal to waive a homeowners deductible under Texas law.

TDI also recommends getting more than one bid or repair estimate, not paying in full up front, not making the final payment until the work is done, and never signing a contract that has blank spaces. If the roof itself is the main issue, a local roofer's view is worth having; this guide from a roofing contractor on how hail damage and roof claims work goes deeper. For the inside of the house, the questions in what to ask a restoration company before it starts apply.

• Offers to waive or cover your deductible
• Pressure to sign the same day
• Requests for full payment before work starts
• Contracts with blank spaces
• No local address or references

Know your wind and hail deductible before you need it

Some Texas homeowners discover only after a storm that their policy uses a percentage deductible for wind and hail. TDI's guide to deductibles explains why that matters with a simple example: a 5 percent deductible works out to $7,500 on the home in its example, so a $6,500 roof repair after a hailstorm would not be paid at all. Check your declarations page now and translate any percentage into dollars, and talk to your agent if the number surprises you.

If you have questions about how the claim itself works, including what is covered and how payments are made, my guide on how Texas homeowners policies treat water damage covers the basics.

Getting ready before the next storm season

The best time to prepare for storm damage is a calm week in late winter. Walk around the house and take dated photos and video of the roof from the ground, the windows, the siding and the ceilings inside. If a storm hits later, those pictures show your adjuster what the house looked like before, which can settle questions about older wear versus new damage.

Then handle the small things that make storm night easier. Know where your water shutoff and electrical panel are and make sure every adult in the house can reach them. Have limbs that hang over the roof trimmed back. Keep gutters and downspouts clear so heavy rain leaves the roof quickly. Put your insurer's claim line, your agent's number and a restoration company's 24-hour number in your phone, and keep your policy and important documents somewhere dry and easy to grab.

If you manage commercial or multifamily property, go one step further and decide in advance who you will call for board-up, tarping and drying. Having that relationship in place before the storm means one call instead of a dozen when every company in town is busy.

• Dated photos of the roof, windows and ceilings
• Shutoff and panel locations known to every adult
• Overhanging limbs trimmed, gutters cleared
• Insurer, agent and restoration numbers saved
• Policy and documents stored somewhere dry

One crew from tarp to finished ceiling

When you call us after a storm, we ask where the damage is, whether water is coming in, whether anyone is hurt or any area is unsafe, and whether you have filed a claim. A crew comes out to board up and tarp, documents what it finds, and starts drying anything that got wet. Our crews answer around the clock, including weekends and holidays, for homes and businesses in Dallas, Highland Park and University Park.

Once the adjuster has seen the damage and the scope is agreed, our reconstruction team handles the permanent repairs, from roofing to drywall, paint and flooring, so you are not coordinating separate companies for each piece. I explain why that matters in one company or separate contractors after a loss. The goal is simple: a dry house tonight and a finished one when the claim is done.

Questions people ask me