What should I do if my roof is leaking after a storm?

Stay off the wet roof, catch the water, photograph the damage before you clean or tarp, make only temporary repairs that stop more water, keep every receipt, then get a documented inspection and notify your insurer promptly.

Florida storms do not wait for a calm Saturday. You need a safe sequence that protects the house and the claim file at the same time.

First 30 minutes (inside the house)

1. Stay off the roof. A wet Florida roof is a fall hazard.
2. Move people, electronics, and valuables out from under the drip.
3. Put buckets under active leaks. Mark the ceiling spot with tape so you can find it later.
4. If the drywall is bulging with water and there's no light or fan in that spot, turn off that room's breaker, then poke a small hole at the lowest point and drain it into a bucket. A controlled drain beats a ceiling collapse.
5. Photograph and video the ceiling, walls, wet flooring, and any attic wetness you can reach safely. Time stamps on your phone matter.

Same day (still temporary)

• •Look from the ground only for missing shingles, debris, or a tree limb. Do not climb.
• •If water is still coming in, arrange emergency tarping or drying-in. Photograph the damage before the tarp goes on, then photograph after.
• •Keep every receipt for tarps, plywood, fans, dehumidifiers, and emergency labor.
• •Write down when the storm hit and when you first saw the leak. For weather claims, Florida law ties the "date of loss" to when the hurricane made landfall or when NOAA verifies the weather event (Florida Statutes section 627.70132).

Florida's Department of Financial Services tells homeowners to make temporary repairs that prevent further damage, take photos before and after, keep receipts, and not dispose of damaged property until the company has inspected. You are not supposed to wait helplessly while water keeps pouring in. You also should not start a permanent tear-off before the insurer has a chance to see the damage, unless your adjuster tells you otherwise.

Call your insurer without waiting for a perfect estimate

Report the claim as soon as you reasonably can. Under Florida Statutes section 627.70132, a claim or reopened claim is generally barred unless notice was given within 1 year after the date of loss (supplemental claims: 18 months). Do not treat that outer limit as a reason to wait. Hidden damage shows up later; an early notice file is easier to supplement.

Ask your agent:

• •Whether this event triggers your hurricane deductible or your all-other-perils deductible
• •What temporary work they want documented
• •Whether they want to inspect before permanent repairs

Florida's Homeowner Claims Bill of Rights (Florida Statutes section 627.7142) summarizes claim timelines, including acknowledgment within 7 days after you report the claim. Read the notice your insurer must send you.

Before you sign a repair contract

Florida DFS advises contacting your insurance company before entering a repair contract, confirming the contractor is licensed in Florida, and requiring proof of the contractor's insurance. Pressure to sign an Assignment of Benefits or a "we'll cover your deductible" pitch on a soaked driveway is a walk-away signal. Verify licenses yourself.

What a useful next inspection looks like

You want photos of the roof surface, flashing, penetrations, and attic (when accessible), plus a plain-English repair vs replace readout. A three-minute ladder walk that ends only in "full replacement today" is not documentation. Ask for slope-by-slope photos you keep.

Next step

Book a free inspection with photo documentation so you know whether this is a tarp-and-repair job or a larger scope before anyone starts tear-off. We connect Port Orange and Central Florida homeowners with local licensed roofers who show what failed and what is still sound.

Call 386-999-4616 or start the quiz on this page. Have your leak photos and renewal letter handy if you have one.