When a tree is in the attic or rain is blowing past a broken window, the clock started the moment the storm hit. Call Water Heater Repairer and we route you to an independent storm restoration contractor near Lauderdale who can tarp, board up and start pulling water out of the house.
After a big storm, every roofer and restoration company in town gets the same flood of calls. Our job is to get you to a contractor who can actually show up.
Every big storm draws storm chasers who disappear once the deposit clears. We route only to independent local contractors who carry their own license and insurance.
During a surge, we keep tabs on which local crews still have tarps, plywood and people free. Arrival is often within hours, depending on road conditions and how widespread the damage is.
You get a written quote that splits the emergency tarp and board-up from the later rebuild. Adjusters generally expect to see it broken out that way.
Storm crews arrive with reinforced roof tarps, furring strips, plywood, chainsaws and moisture meters. Closing up the envelope always comes first.
Storm water is sneaky because it rarely comes in where you expect. Wind-driven rain gets pushed sideways under siding, through soffit vents and around window flashing that holds fine in normal weather. When the stain finally shows on the ceiling, the insulation above it is often already saturated.
The other problem is timing. After a squall line passes, half the neighborhood is dialing at once and good crews fill their schedule before lunch. We keep a running picture of which independent contractors still have capacity, so you are not stuck leaving voicemails while rain comes through the ceiling. After the cover-up, drying starts right away and the roofer follows for the permanent work.
From the first tarp to the final drying readings, here is what independent storm contractors handle.
A real storm tarp wraps over the ridge and is screwed down with batten strips instead of held by sandbags. Done right, it holds through the next few storms until the roofer can get there.
When a falling tree opens the roof or a wall, the crew cuts the limb free and sheets the hole with plywood. Shattered windows and slider doors are boarded on the same trip.
Ice dams form at the eaves and back meltwater up under the shingles, into the wall and down the inside. The contractor steams channels through the dam, then dries the wet wall and ceiling below.
Hail splits skylight lenses and tears the rubber boots that seal vent pipes. Those little breaks can drip into the attic for weeks before anyone notices.
Soaked insulation adds weight until the ceiling drywall bows and can fail. The pro relieves the water, bags the wet insulation and dries the joists and decking.
Once the house is closed in, extraction and drying start on carpet, walls and subfloors. Clogged gutters and short downspouts frequently add a basement leak to the storm damage.
This is the sequence most storm jobs follow.
Tell us what hit the house, where water is coming in and whether power is still on. If a line is down or the ceiling is sagging, we walk you through safety steps first.
The contractor arrives ready to tarp, board up and run equipment off a properly placed generator if the grid is down. The first goal is stopping more water from getting in.
Every hole, stain and wet wall gets photographed and dated, and the quote splits emergency mitigation from the rebuild. Nothing past the emergency tarp moves forward until you sign.
Once drying readings reach goal, you get the photo set and moisture logs for your adjuster. If a roofer is needed, the contractor coordinates the handoff so nothing sits open.
Most homeowner policies include a duty to mitigate, meaning you have to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage. A tarp and board-up done the same day is the clearest proof you did your part.
| Temporary repair | Permanent repair |
|---|---|
| Battened roof tarp | New decking, underlayment and shingles |
| Plywood board-up | New glass and frame |
| Extraction and drying | Rebuilt ceiling and walls |
Have an independent storm contractor around Lauderdale dispatched now.
A big oak branch crashed through our bedroom ceiling around 2 a.m. Every number I tried went to voicemail; this line had a contractor in the driveway by dawn. By noon the limb was out, the roof was sheeted and drying equipment was running.
Every sunny afternoon in February, water dripped down the inside of our front wall. It turned out to be an ice dam; the pro steamed it off and dried out the wall behind the drywall. They also told us our attic ventilation was part of the problem.
After the hailstorm, the insurer wanted dated photos of everything. Before any repair started, the contractor shot the cracked skylight, torn vent boots and soaked insulation. That photo set made the claim straightforward.
Sideways rain hit my rental property for hours and the tenant called me late that night. The pro found water coming in around the window flashing and soffits, covered the gable end and dried two rooms. I was handling it from two hours away and never had to drive over.
If rain is still entering, get it tarped first and report the claim right after. Most policies expect you to prevent further damage, and emergency tarping is usually treated as part of the claim.
Photograph every side of the home, each hole or broken window, and all interior water damage. Note the storm date, and keep any hail or debris you collected.
A tarp fastened with battens over the ridge typically holds for weeks to a few months. It is meant to bridge the gap until the roofer can do the permanent repair, not replace it.
Run it outdoors and far from windows, doors and intake vents, since carbon monoxide builds fast. Never plug a generator into a wall outlet, which can energize lines that line workers are repairing.
A bowed ceiling usually has water and soaked insulation pressing down on it. Clear the room, set a bucket under the lowest point and let the contractor relieve it safely.
It depends on the damage; some storm contractors handle tarping and drying, then bring in a roofer for the permanent roof. The key is a clean handoff so the roof is never left uncovered between trades.
Storm calls get routed throughout Lauderdale and nearby suburbs, including 55113 55108. If one part of town takes the worst of it, we pull in contractors from neighboring areas.
Big old trees bring more roof and porch strikes when the wind picks up.
Flat roofs, parapets and shared walls need coordinated tarping across units.
Open lots catch more wind-driven rain and hail than sheltered blocks.
Calling early matters, because the line gets longer every hour after a storm. The sooner the roof is closed in, the less insulation, drywall and flooring you lose.
Call +1-877-637-9008