Storm damage vs. an emergency
If water is coming in right now, you need emergency roof repair first: tarping and temporary sealing. This page covers what comes next, and what to do when a storm has passed and you are not sure whether your roof was damaged. Wind and hail damage are often invisible from the ground and do not always leak right away, but they shorten a roof's life and may be covered by your policy if documented promptly.
Types of storm damage we see
- Wind: lifted, creased or missing shingles; peeled flashing and ridge caps; flat-roof membrane pulled from edges
- Fallen trees and limbs: punctured decking, broken rafters, crushed gutters and fascia
- Hail: bruised shingles, dislodged granules, dented vents, gutters and downspouts
- Snow and ice: ice-dam leaks, gutters torn loose, stress on older framing and low-slope roofs
Documenting damage for your insurance claim
We provide a dated report with photos of every damaged area, measurements, and a line-item repair or replacement estimate. That gives you and your adjuster a clear record of what the storm did.
Know your rights: According to the Maryland Home Improvement Commission, an MHIC license does not authorize a contractor to act as a public adjuster. Negotiating a claim on your behalf requires a separate license from the Maryland Insurance Administration. Be cautious of any roofer who offers to "handle your claim" or asks you to sign over insurance benefits. Read about how we work.
Montgomery County storm history
Severe storms are not rare here. The National Weather Service confirmed two EF-1 tornadoes in Montgomery County on June 5, 2024, with peak winds of 95 and 105 mph. The June 29, 2012 derecho cut power to 77% of Pepco's county customers. And the January 2016 blizzard buried parts of the county under more than three feet of snow. After any event like these, a roof inspection is worth scheduling even if nothing is leaking. See the full Montgomery County storm history.
Repairs that last
Storm repairs are done to the same standard as any other repair: damaged shingles replaced and sealed (see shingle roof repair), flashing rebuilt, broken decking replaced, and damaged gutters repaired or replaced. When damage is widespread, we will explain whether a full replacement makes more sense.
Wind and falling trees, not hail: what that means for your claim
Roof damage in this part of Maryland is overwhelmingly wind damage and impact damage from falling limbs, not the large hail that drives claims in the Plains states. The June 5, 2024 tornadoes in Montgomery County did most of their damage to homes through falling trees, and the 2012 derecho followed the same pattern. That difference matters when you file. An adjuster here is looking for creased and lifted shingles, missing tabs along ridges and rakes, displaced or bent flashing, and puncture damage, rather than the bruising pattern that defines a hail claim. Describing your loss in those terms, with evidence, gets it handled correctly the first time.
Wind damage is also easy to under-call, including by homeowners who look up and see an intact roof. A shingle can be creased at the fold and have its sealant bond broken while still lying flat, and it will leak months later during an ordinary rain. Finding that requires lifting and checking the field slope by slope rather than scanning for gaps. We document what we find with dated photographs tied to a slope diagram, note the direction of the damage so it is consistent with the recorded storm, and give you a written scope that an adjuster can read against the policy. If you need a pre-storm baseline for a future claim, that is what a roof inspection report provides.
Several parts of a storm loss get left off claims because nobody looked. Bent gutters and crushed downspouts, torn fascia and drip edge, cracked skylight lenses and broken siding and trim are all commonly damaged in the same event as the roof, and all are usually covered. We include them in the documentation and can handle each one directly, whether that is gutter repair, skylight replacement or siding work. We are equally direct about the opposite case: granule loss, curling and brittleness spread evenly across every slope is age, not storm damage, and presenting it as a claim usually ends in a denial. When that is what we find, we tell you so and price a roof replacement honestly instead.
Storm Damage Roof Repair across Bethesda, North Bethesda and Chevy Chase
We provide storm damage roof repair throughout southern Montgomery County, including Bethesda, MD (20814, 20816, 20817) , North Bethesda, MD (20852) , and Chevy Chase, MD (20815) . Each area page covers the housing types, permit considerations and storm history particular to that community.
Recent Montgomery County storms
These recorded events show the kinds of weather local roofs need to withstand. See the full Montgomery County storm history.
June 5, 2024 Montgomery County Tornadoes
The National Weather Service confirmed two EF-1 tornadoes in Montgomery County: one from Poolesville to Seneca Creek State Park, and one from Gaithersburg to Ashton.
Roof takeaway: Most of the damage came from trees and large limbs falling onto homes. A healthy roof does little against that, which is why a post-storm inspection matters even when shingles look intact from the street.
Source: National Weather Service, Baltimore/Washington (Sterling, VA)
June 29, 2012 Derecho
A fast-moving line of severe thunderstorms knocked out power to 77% of Pepco customers in Montgomery County (238,000 of 309,583) at its peak.
Roof takeaway: Straight-line winds tear off shingles and peel back flashing, and they bring down mature trees, which are common in established Bethesda and Chevy Chase neighborhoods.
January 22–23, 2016 Blizzard
The National Weather Service recorded 38.5 inches of snow near Potomac, the highest total reported in Maryland, and 35.2 inches near Gaithersburg.
Roof takeaway: Snow loads that deep stress older framing and low-slope roofs. Melt and refreeze cycles afterward build ice dams at the eaves, pushing water under shingles and into ceilings.
Frequently asked questions
How soon after a storm should I get my roof inspected?
As soon as practical. Prompt documentation makes it easier to tie damage to a specific storm, and many policies have time limits for reporting claims. Check your policy for its deadlines.
How do I avoid storm-chasing contractors?
After big storms, out-of-area crews often go door to door. Before signing anything, confirm the contractor’s MHIC license in the state’s online search, get a written contract, and never sign over your insurance benefits.
Can hail damage a roof without leaking?
Yes. Hail can crack the shingle mat and knock off protective granules without an immediate leak. The damage shows up later as premature aging and leaks.