Roof Leaks and Storm Water Damage in Suwanee, GA

What you can see

• A brown stain or a drip under the roofline after a windy storm
• Damp rafters or a dark streak on the underside of the roof boards
• Shingles, flashing or a vent cap lying in the yard after wind
• Water on the floor beneath a window or sliding door during a storm
• Gutters pulling away, or water pouring over them at a corner of the house

Around Suwanee

Across the warning area of the Peachtree City weather service office, damaging thunderstorm winds average 19 days a year and tornado days average 6, most of them between March and May.

The Atlanta airport recorded 3.70 inches of rain by 8 p.m. on 19 September 2009, more than double the old record for that date, in a flood the National Weather Service's write-up calls epic.

On site, a visit goes like this

1. Call (678) 572-1407 and describe the storm, the room and where water is coming through; the contractor can arrange a visit.

2. Roofing is a separate trade. The contractor looks at what the water did inside the house and says where a roofer comes in.

3. Moisture readings through the ceiling, the walls and, where there is access, the attic show where the water went.

4. Wet insulation and drywall are checked, and the contractor says what comes out and what can dry in place.

5. Fans and dehumidifiers go in with a plain explanation, and ruined items are noted.

6. The date of the storm goes into the written summary, along with what to photograph for the insurer.

What changes the size of a job

Why storm jobs range so widely

One lifted shingle over a closet and a torn section over a bedroom are different starting points. The work grows with how long the water got in, how much insulation and drywall it soaked and how many rooms sit under the opening. A leak still running, because the roof has not been closed up, keeps the job open. The contractor names a figure after seeing the damage.

Looks you can take from dry ground

Stay with checks you can make from dry ground, in daylight, away from anything electrical that has been wet. Wet wiring and soaked drywall are professional work.

• After the storm, stay on the ground and study the roofline from the yard. Note missing shingles, loose flashing or a branch resting against the house.
• Look through the attic hatch with a flashlight, without stepping onto the insulation or the boards, for damp wood or a dark streak.
• Photograph the damage and the weather: a screenshot of the radar or the forecast helps date the event for an insurer.
• Check the frames of windows and doors on the windward side for water tracks.

Moves that make it worse

After a storm, a few things to leave alone

Tossing ruined items before they are photographed. Making permanent repairs before the insurer has inspected, which Georgia's insurance commissioner flags in its claim tips. Driving through water on a road to check the damage. Running a generator in a garage that connects to the house.

Georgia seasons and this job

March through May is the stormiest stretch

The National Weather Service's Peachtree City climatology puts most tornado days in March, April and May, and the Suwanee 1.5 W rain normal for March is 5.07 inches, the highest of the year. Damaging winds turn up on 19 days a year on average, so storm leaks are a year-round possibility with a spring peak.

Have this at hand

Give the call a head start

• The date and kind of storm: wind, hail, a long rain
• Where water is coming in, and on which floor
• What the roof looks like from the ground
• Whether anything is down on the property, such as a limb or a line
• Photos taken before anything is moved

Have the street address, the room it started in and what you can see ready, then call (678) 572-1407. If you rent, contact the landlord first. Calls cover Suwanee, Sugar Hill and Johns Creek.

Call (678) 572-1407

Before you hire anyone

Roof work and the paperwork

Suwanee's building page says permits are required for re-roofs, which comes into play after the inside has dried. The same page covers repairs to a structure, so the hiring checklist lists the offices for all three cities and the hiring tips from Georgia agencies.