After the Storm: Damage Assessment Checklist for PA Homeowners

The moments after a severe storm passes are critical, and your first priority is personal safety—not property assessment. Every year in Pennsylvania, homeowners are injured or killed by hazards that linger after the storm itself has moved on.

Do not leave your home until the all-clear is issued. Monitor your local NWS office (Mount Holly for the Lehigh Valley, Binghamton for the Poconos) for confirmation that the storm has passed. Even after the wind and rain stop, hazards remain.

Downed power lines are the most dangerous post-storm hazard. PPL Electric Utilities serves most of eastern PA, and they report that downed lines can carry up to 7,200 volts—enough to be fatal on contact. If you see a downed line on or near your property:

• Stay at least 35 feet away from the line and anything it touches
• Call 911 immediately, then report to PPL at 1-800-342-5775
• Do not attempt to move the line with any object, including wood or rubber
• Assume all downed lines are live, even if they appear inactive

Other immediate hazards to check for:

• Gas leaks (smell of rotten eggs)—leave the house immediately and call your gas provider
• Structural damage to your home's frame—visible leaning, cracked foundation walls, or sagging roofline means do not enter
• Standing water near electrical panels, outlets, or appliances
• Weakened trees and hanging branches that could fall without warning

Once you have confirmed it is safe to move around your property, you can begin your damage assessment. Call (570) 791-2020 if you need Amero Exteriors for an emergency tarp or board-up to prevent further damage while you complete your full inspection.

Never climb onto your roof after a storm. Wet surfaces, hidden structural damage, and debris make post-storm roof access extremely dangerous. You can conduct an effective initial assessment entirely from the ground using binoculars and a smartphone camera with zoom.

Walk the full perimeter of your home and photograph your roof from every angle. You are looking for:

• Missing shingles or bare patches - Storm winds above 60 mph (common in PA nor'easters and severe thunderstorms) can tear shingles clean off, especially along ridges, hips, and edges where uplift forces are strongest
• Lifted or creased shingles - Shingles that are still attached but visibly raised, bent, or have crease lines have lost their seal and will leak
• Exposed underlayment or decking - Light-colored patches where dark shingles should be indicate complete shingle loss in that area
• Damaged flashing - Check around chimneys, vent pipes, and skylights for bent, displaced, or missing metal flashing
• Ridge cap damage - The shingles along the peak of your roof take the worst wind abuse; look for gaps, lifting, or missing ridge caps
• Debris on the roof - Fallen branches, displaced satellite dishes, or other objects may have caused impact damage beneath them

Check your attic if accessible. With a flashlight, look for daylight coming through the roof deck, wet insulation, water stains on rafters, or active dripping. These interior signs often reveal damage invisible from the ground.

Document everything with timestamped photos and video. This documentation is essential for your insurance claim. Amero Exteriors provides free post-storm roof inspections with drone photography for a comprehensive damage report.

Siding damage from storms ranges from cosmetic blemishes to compromised water barriers that lead to mold and structural rot. Walk the perimeter of your home slowly and inspect all four sides, paying particular attention to walls that faced the prevailing storm direction (typically west and northwest for PA nor'easters, southwest for summer thunderstorms).

Vinyl siding damage signs:

• Cracked, punctured, or shattered panels from wind-blown debris (hail and branches are the most common culprits)
• Panels blown completely off the wall, exposing house wrap or sheathing underneath
• Panels that appear intact but are bowed outward, indicating the locking strip has separated
• Holes from large hail—measure any holes or dents for your insurance documentation

Wood and fiber cement siding damage signs:

• Split or cracked boards from impact
• Chipped or gouged surfaces from hail
• Boards separated from the wall at nailing points
• Water stains or swelling at joints and seams

Critical areas to check closely:

• Around all window and door frames where siding meets trim
• At inside and outside corners where J-channel or corner posts may have been displaced
• Along the bottom course near the foundation, where flooding and wind-driven rain concentrate
• Behind downspouts where splash-back can force water behind panels

If house wrap or bare sheathing is exposed anywhere, this needs immediate attention. Exposed sheathing absorbs water rapidly and can begin rotting within 48-72 hours in warm weather. Amero Exteriors can perform emergency siding repairs to seal your home's envelope while you plan a full repair or replacement.

Windows, doors, and gutters are often overlooked in post-storm assessments, but damage to these components can cause significant secondary problems if not addressed quickly.

Window inspection:

• Check every window for cracked or broken glass, including small hairline cracks that can spread with temperature changes
• Look for broken seals on double-pane windows—fogging or moisture between panes means the insulating gas has escaped
• Test all windows to ensure they open, close, and lock properly; warped frames from impact or water infiltration may prevent full closure
• Examine exterior window trim and caulk for gaps, cracks, or displacement

Door inspection:

• Check all exterior doors for alignment—do they close and latch smoothly, or does the frame appear shifted?
• Inspect door frames and thresholds for water stains or warping that indicate wind-driven rain penetration
• Look for cracks in glass panels, sidelights, or transoms

Gutter and downspout inspection:

• Walk the full gutter line and look for sagging, pulling away from the fascia, or sections torn off entirely
• Check for dents, punctures, or crushed sections from fallen branches or heavy debris
• Verify all downspouts are still attached and directed at least 4-6 feet away from your foundation
• Run water through the system with a garden hose to check for blockages from storm debris
• Inspect the fascia board behind any displaced gutters for water damage or rot

Damaged gutters allow water to pour directly against your foundation, and in the clay-heavy soils common throughout eastern PA, this leads to basement flooding and foundation cracking within a single season. Prioritize gutter repairs alongside roof repairs.

Thorough documentation is the single most important factor in a successful storm damage insurance claim. Pennsylvania insurance law (31 Pa. Code § 146.5) requires insurers to begin investigating claims within 15 days of notice and to communicate their findings within a reasonable timeframe, but the burden of proving your loss rests with you.

Step 1: Gather official storm documentation

• Download the NWS Storm Event Database report for your county, which records official wind speeds, hail size, and storm classification
• Note the exact date and approximate time the storm affected your property
• Save any severe weather warnings or alerts you received

Step 2: Photograph and video everything

• Take wide-angle photos showing overall damage to each affected area
• Take close-up photos of specific damage points with a ruler or coin for scale (critical for hail damage)
• Shoot video walkarounds narrating what you see
• Photograph your home's undamaged areas as well for comparison
• All photos should have timestamps enabled on your camera

Step 3: Create a written inventory

• List every damaged component (e.g., "north-facing roof slope, approximately 40 shingles missing or damaged")
• Note the age and material of each damaged component
• If you have records of prior inspections or recent installations, include these to demonstrate pre-storm condition

Step 4: File promptly

• Contact your insurer within 24-48 hours of the storm
• Most PA homeowner policies require "prompt notice" of loss
• Request a claim number and the name of your assigned adjuster

Amero Exteriors works directly with insurance adjusters and can meet your adjuster on-site to walk through the damage together. Our detailed inspection reports, including drone photography, are formatted for insurance submission and have helped hundreds of PA homeowners secure fair claim settlements. Call (570) 791-2020 to schedule your post-storm inspection.

After documenting your damage, the next priority is preventing additional damage through emergency temporary repairs. Most PA homeowner insurance policies cover reasonable emergency mitigation costs, so keep all receipts.

Emergency repairs you can do yourself:

• Tarp exposed roof areas using heavy-duty tarps (minimum 6 mil thickness) secured with 2x4 lumber and screws into the decking—never use nails, which create additional leak points
• Board up broken windows with plywood cut to fit inside the frame
• Cover damaged siding sections with house wrap or heavy plastic sheeting and tape
• Clear gutter blockages to restore drainage away from your foundation
• Remove debris that could cause additional damage if winds pick up again

Important rules for emergency repairs:

• Do not make permanent repairs before your insurance adjuster inspects the property
• Photograph all emergency repairs before and after, and save receipts for materials
• Do not discard damaged materials (shingles, siding panels, etc.) until your adjuster has seen them

Planning your permanent repairs:

Once your insurance claim is filed and the adjuster has inspected, you can begin scheduling permanent repairs. Here is a recommended timeline:

• Within 1 week: Get written estimates from at least two licensed contractors
• Within 2 weeks: Select your contractor and schedule the work
• Within 30 days: Complete permanent repairs (sooner if exposed areas risk further water damage)

Amero Exteriors provides free emergency tarping for customers who contract with us for permanent repairs. We also offer direct insurance billing, eliminating the need for you to pay out-of-pocket and wait for reimbursement. As a fully licensed and insured PA contractor, our repair work meets or exceeds all building codes for your municipality.

Call (570) 791-2020 for 24/7 storm damage response throughout the Poconos and Lehigh Valley. We typically respond to emergency calls within 2-4 hours during active storm seasons.