Wind-opened roofs let rain into attics and ceilings, and the water is traced, removed and dried.
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Derecho and storm roof water damage is water that enters a building through a roof opened or damaged by high wind, then travels through the attic, insulation and ceilings. The water is removed, the path is traced, the structure is dried and the roof is repaired by a roofer. Ankeny Water Damage Restoration connects Ankeny callers with a local crew for the water side of the loss.
A derecho is a long-lived, fast-moving windstorm that can take roofs, siding and trees over a wide area in a short time. The 2020 derecho produced a large wave of insurance claims in Iowa, and the Iowa Insurance Division published updates on them. For a homeowner, the first sign is often not the wind itself but the water that followed, coming through a ceiling, down a wall or into the attic after the rain.
Roof damage and water damage are two different jobs. The roof is repaired by a roofer, and the roof decides how much water can come in. The water damage crew handles what the water did after it came in: the attic insulation, the ceilings, the walls and the floors below. Both need to be done, and the order matters, because drying a structure that is still open to the sky does not work.
If wind has damaged your roof and water has come in, call (833) 490-5225 and describe where the water is. The water damage line is answered at any hour. Keep people away from any ceiling that is sagging, turn off the power to a damp fixture if you can reach it safely, and cover the opening with a tarp only if you can do it safely from the ground or a stable ladder. A crew can then start on the water side of the loss.
It depends on the policy and on how the water entered. Many homeowner policies respond to wind damage to the roof and to the interior water that follows a wind opening, but the policy wording and the insurer's decision decide the claim. Keep the photographs and records, and ask your insurer what applies.
A wind opening that lets rain in is often treated differently from a leak that has been going on for months. Insurers commonly look at whether the roof was damaged by the storm and whether the water came in through that damage. Photographs of the roof, the opening and the interior are useful.
The Iowa Insurance Division takes complaints about policies issued in Iowa. Its public updates after the 2020 derecho show how large the volume of claims was across the state. A complaint about how a claim was handled can go to the division, while the claim itself is decided under the policy.
Only if you can do it safely from the ground or a stable ladder, and never on a steep or damaged roof in wind or rain. A roofer should cover and repair the opening. Falls from roofs are serious, and a temporary cover does not replace a repair.
A roof that has been opened by wind is often unstable. Loose shingles, broken decking and wet surfaces make walking on it dangerous. A roofer has the equipment for that work, and it is safer to wait for one.
If you cannot reach a roofer right away, keep the water out of the house in other ways where you can do it safely. Move items, place buckets under drips and keep people away from wet ceilings. Photograph the opening from the ground before any cover is put on.
The attic is checked for wet insulation, wet framing, staining on the underside of the roof deck and the path of the water. Wet insulation is removed and the framing is dried. The crew reports what it finds, so the roofer and the insurer can see the same condition.
Attic insulation that has soaked up water loses its loft and its insulating value, and it holds moisture against the framing. Removing it is usually the right step once the roof is closed. Drying in place is slow and often ineffective for loose-fill insulation.
The crew checks the framing and the roof deck from inside the attic. Staining on the underside of the deck shows the path of the water, and the readings show where the moisture has reached. These details guide the roofer on which areas to inspect.
After a storm, have a roofer inspect the shingles, flashing, vents and soffit. Repair loose or missing shingles, reseal flashing and replace damaged vents. A roof that has been opened by wind should be checked again after the next storm, because small damage can grow.
A roof inspection after a storm is a common step homeowners take. The roofer can show where the wind lifted or creased shingles, and can explain the repair. The crew's photographs and the drying record can be given to the roofer as a record of the water path.
Keep the gutters clear and the downspouts directed away from the foundation. Trim trees that drop limbs onto the roof. These are small steps, but they reduce the chance that a future storm opens the roof again.
Do not walk on a roof that has been damaged by wind, especially in wet weather. Do not enter an attic with water still coming through the roof or with sagging drywall below it. Keep clear of wires or utility lines that have come down, and call the utility before going near them. Do not run a generator inside the house or attached garage. Keep children and pets away from damaged ceilings and open holes.
Water in the ceiling and attic can bring down drywall and loosen fixtures. The top floor is cleared below any stain or sag, and the power to damp fixtures is turned off at the breaker where it can be reached safely. The attic is not entered while water is coming through, and any opening is covered for safety only.
The roof opening is covered or repaired by a roofer, or by a temporary cover, so the water stops entering. The water damage crew does not finish the drying while rain is still coming through. The cover is confirmed before the drying plan is set.
Water from a roof opening travels along the roof deck, the rafters and the insulation before it reaches a ceiling. The crew checks the attic first, then the ceilings and walls below the entry. The path is mapped so the drying covers the whole route.
Wet attic insulation and ceiling drywall that has softened or sagged are removed, because they cannot be dried back into shape and they hold moisture. The removal is kept to the wet zone where readings allow, and each item is recorded.
Once the roof is closed and the water has stopped, air is moved through the attic, the ceilings and the walls with equipment. Readings are taken on the framing and the remaining materials until they reach the dry level set at the start, and the record shows the timeline from the storm to the dry.
When shingles are lifted or removed, the roof deck and the underlayment can take in rain. Water runs along the deck to the nearest low point, often a rafter or a joint, and then into the attic. The roofer seals the deck and the crew dries the attic and the ceiling below.
Flashing around a chimney, a vent or a skylight is a common path for rain once it has been loosened by wind. Water follows the flashing edge into the framing and drops at a point some distance from the opening. The crew checks the vents and flashing as part of the path check.
Wind can open soffit and fascia at the edge of the roof, letting rain into the wall cavity or the attic from below. The water can run down inside the wall and show up on a lower ceiling or floor. The crew checks the exterior edge as well as the roof.
A ceiling can hold water above the drywall for some time, and the stain may appear days after the rain. The crew opens the ceiling at the wet zone, dries the cavity and checks the framing before closing it, rather than waiting for the stain to show.
A crew is dispatched as fast as one is available, and you approve the estimate before any work starts.
A derecho is the kind of storm that produced the 2020 claims wave, and the Iowa Insurance Division reported a large number of claims after it. A storm of that kind can open roofs across Polk County and the wider Des Moines metro at once, which is why the crew can see many similar calls in the same period.
The roof is only part of the story in an Ankeny storm loss. Water from an opening in the roof can run through the attic into the upper rooms, and the crew checks every ceiling below the path rather than only the room under the stain.
Storm and flood losses can come together. A derecho that opens a roof can be followed by heavy rain, and the water damage crew may be dealing with the attic and the lower level at the same time. The record keeps the two causes separate so the roofer and the insurer each see the part that is theirs.
Ceilings and walls are opened and dried so the water left behind the drywall is found, not just the stain.
Photos, moisture logs and a written scope are kept on every visit, so the insurer and the crew see the same facts.
Air movers and dehumidifiers run until moisture readings show the walls, floors and framing have dried.
A damp spot that does not dry is traced to its source with readings, before the wall is closed.
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A water damage insurance claim in Iowa is decided by the policy and by the facts of the loss.
Storm and flood debris should be sorted and photographed before anything is hauled away, so the insurer, the crew and the hauler work from the same record.
Yes, if water has come into the home. The water damage crew handles the water, the insulation, the ceilings and the drying. The roof itself is repaired by a roofer. The two can be coordinated so the drying is not done while the roof is still open.
Water can travel through the insulation and framing and stay in the ceiling cavity for days before it shows as a stain. The crew checks the ceiling with readings, not only the visible spot, and opens it where moisture is found.
The answer depends on the policy and on how the damage occurred. The insurer decides the claim. The Iowa Insurance Division takes complaints about policies issued in Iowa, and its public updates show how large the volume of claims was after the 2020 derecho.
That is a decision for a roofer and your insurer. A roofer can inspect the damage, explain what is repairable and what is not, and give a written opinion. The crew can share its findings about the water path, which helps that decision.
The water damage crew does not repair the roof itself. A roofer should cover and repair the opening. The crew can coordinate the timing so that the water side of the work is not closed up before the roof is sealed.
Keep out of the attic if water is still coming through, and do not walk on the insulation. Photograph what you can see from the access point, and call for help. The crew checks the attic and the ceiling below it.