Your 10-Point Post-Storm Roof Checklist
1. Walk the Perimeter (Ground Level)
Walk slowly around your entire house and look up. You're looking for the obvious: missing shingles, pieces of roofing material on the ground, bent gutters, or fallen branches on the roof. Pick up any shingle pieces you find — a roofer can tell a lot from them.
2. Check Gutters and Downspouts
Clogged or detached gutters are the #1 cause of post-storm water intrusion in Huntington Beach. Look for:
- ✓Gutters pulling away from the fascia
- ✓Granules (sand-like shingle coating) piled in gutters or at downspout exits — heavy granule loss means your shingles took damage
- ✓Downspouts disconnected or crushed
A handful of granules is normal. Cups of granules is a warning sign.
3. Scan for Missing or Lifted Shingles
From the ground with binoculars (or your phone's zoom), scan each roof slope. Wind typically lifts shingles along ridges, edges, and around vents first. Look for:
- ✓Dark patches where shingles are missing
- ✓Shingles that look "flipped" or curled at the corners
- ✓Exposed nail heads
Even one missing shingle is an open door for the next rain.
4. Inspect Flashing Around Chimneys, Vents, and Skylights
Flashing — the metal strips sealing roof penetrations — is where most leaks start. Storm winds flex flashing loose. If you see bent, lifted, or missing flashing around your chimney or vents, that's a priority repair.
5. Look at Your Attic (Daylight Test)
This is the single most revealing check you can do. Go into your attic during daylight and turn off all lights. If you see pinpoints of daylight coming through the roof deck, water can get through those same holes. Also look for:
- ✓Damp insulation
- ✓Water stains on rafters or decking
- ✓Musty smell (mold starting)
6. Check Ceilings and Walls Inside
Walk every room and look at ceilings — especially under roof valleys and around skylights. Fresh water stains are often yellowish-brown rings. Don't ignore small stains; they grow.
7. Examine Tile Roofs for Cracked or Slipped Tiles
Huntington Beach has a lot of tile roofs, and tiles crack under impact from branches or shift in high wind. From the ground, look for tiles that sit crooked or gaps in the pattern. One slipped tile can channel water straight into your underlayment.
8. Flat Roof? Check for Ponding Water
If you have a flat or low-slope roof, check for standing water 48 hours after the rain stops. Water that doesn't drain is actively working through your membrane. Also look for new blisters or bubbles in the roofing material.
9. Document Everything With Photos
Before you touch anything, photograph all damage — wide shots and close-ups, with timestamps. If you end up filing a homeowners insurance claim, this documentation is gold. (We wrote a full guide on whether homeowners insurance covers roof repair in California.)
10. Get a Professional Inspection (It's Free)
Here's the truth: a ground-level check catches maybe 60% of storm damage. Lifted shingle seals, cracked flashing, and bruised shingles (hail/impact damage that voids warranties) need a trained eye on the roof.