72 Hours Before Landfall
The planning phase. Do these once — not every storm.
1. Photograph your roof from all four sides
Use your phone. Shoot wide angles from the yard, plus close-ups of any questionable shingles, ridge caps, and flashing. These photos are gold for an insurance claim later.
2. Photograph your attic decking
Go in the attic with a flashlight. Photograph the underside of the decking — any existing water stains, nail pops, or daylight you can see. Pre-storm attic photos prove later damage is new.
3. Pull a copy of your insurance policy
Find your wind/hurricane deductible (usually 2–5% of dwelling coverage in Florida). Know this number before the storm, not after.
4. Save your roofer's number on your phone
Save ours: (850) 220-3965. After a major storm, phone lines get flooded with out-of-state "storm chasers." Having a licensed local roofer on speed-dial matters.
5. Check your ladder, tarp, and tools
You'll want a 6-mil blue tarp (10×20 minimum), 1×2 furring strips, galvanized roofing nails, and a hammer. Home Depot sells out the day before the storm — buy now.
24 Hours Before Landfall
The prep phase. Every storm, every time.
11. Clear your gutters and downspouts
Leaf clogs cause water to back up under the shingles during driving rain. A 15-minute clean-out prevents a $3,000 interior-water claim.
12. Remove or anchor yard projectiles
Patio furniture, umbrellas, potted plants, grills, trash cans, trampolines, kids' bikes. Anything not bolted down can become a 100-mph projectile. Put it in the garage.
13. Trim tree limbs within 10 feet of the roof
You can't do a full trim in 24 hours — but lop off any obvious dead or overhanging branches. Tree-fall damage is the #1 cause of roof claims we see in Crestview and Milton.
14. Close and reinforce storm shutters
If you have accordion or panel shutters, install them now. Check the bolts and tracks — sand can jam them if it's been a while.
15. Tarp any known weak spots
If you already have a leak or missing shingles, tarp it. A properly installed tarp (nailed to furring strips, not directly to the roof) buys you 30–60 days of protection.
16. Fill the bathtub
Roof damage often knocks out water service. A filled tub is 50 gallons of flush water — lifesaver for the first 48 hours post-storm.
During the Storm
Stay safe. Document only when it's safe.
21. Stay inside. Do not try to repair the roof mid-storm.
We've seen too many ER visits from homeowners trying to nail down a flapping shingle in 70-mph gusts. Wait it out.
22. If you see a ceiling leak, move electronics and furniture
Place a bucket, then a plastic sheet, then the bucket on top of the sheet. The sheet catches splashes. Puncture the ceiling bulge with a small hole to release pressure — better one clean hole than a collapsing drywall sheet.
23. Take time-stamped video if safe
One 30-second walk-through of affected rooms during or immediately after peak winds is worth 100 photos for your claim.
First 48 Hours After the Storm
The claim phase. Speed matters here.
31. Photograph everything before you touch anything
Every angle of the exterior, every room with water damage, every dented vent and displaced shingle. Your adjuster will want these exact shots.
32. Call your insurance company
File a claim within the first 48 hours if possible. Get your claim number in writing. Ask for the adjuster's direct contact.
33. Call a licensed local roofer for an inspection
Not a door-to-door "storm chaser" — a roofer with a Florida license you can verify. We offer free post-storm inspections across the Panhandle: (850) 220-3965.
34. Do NOT sign an Assignment of Benefits (AOB) form
AOB forms transfer your insurance rights to the contractor — they can settle the claim for less than it's worth and pocket the difference. Legitimate roofers work on a regular contract, not an AOB.
35. Get at least two licensed, local estimates
Compare line by line. Anyone who won't itemize their bid is hiding something. Anyone offering to "waive your deductible" is committing insurance fraud — walk away.
36. Tarp and dry out — don't wait for the adjuster
Most Florida policies cover temporary repairs (tarps, board-ups) as part of the claim. Keep receipts. Drying out in 48 hours prevents mold, which is often NOT covered.
Need a pre-storm roof inspection?
We offer free storm-readiness inspections across the Florida Panhandle. Navarre, Gulf Breeze, Pensacola, Pace, Milton, and everywhere in between.
Complete Roofing LLC · FL Lic. CCC1337480 · (850) 220-3965 · roofing-it.com