Limb through the covering
A limb that has broken through the shingles and the decking into the attic. The limb is removed in pieces, the opening is covered, and the rafters below are checked for cracking before the decking is replaced.
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Storm and Fallen-Tree Roof Repair in Indianapolis, IN
Making an open roof safe after a derecho or a fallen tree, clearing limbs with the right equipment, and recording the damage for the insurer.
- Ice dams and freeze-thaw
- Marion County and suburbs
- Roof repair and replacement
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Fastest: call (833) 751-2102. Or send this and we call you back.
Derecho Repair
Derecho and Fallen-Tree Roof Repair: what it covers
Quick answer
Derecho and fallen-tree roof repair covers the damage a violent storm leaves behind: a limb through the covering, a torn section of roof, a crushed gutter and a ceiling that has come down under the weight of water. The 10 August 2020 derecho brought widespread wind damage across central Indiana, with trees and power lines down, and the response in Indianapolis starts with making the house safe.
A derecho is a long, fast-moving line of wind, and it can flatten trees and bring down power lines across a wide area in a few hours. In August 2020 the storm reached central Indiana with widespread wind damage, and roofs across the metro were struck by limbs and debris as well as by the wind itself.
Indianapolis Roofing connects Indianapolis callers with a local technician who checks whether the roof is safe to reach, arranges the crew with the right equipment and records the damage for the homeowner and the insurer. Limbs on a roof are the crew's job, and the homeowner's first step is to keep people clear.
The sections below explain what a fallen tree does to a roof, how the work is staged, and what the record should include after a storm of this kind.
- Service area
- Indianapolis & Marion County
- Availability
- Phones answered 24/7, emergencies first
- Phone
- (833) 751-2102
What did the 2020 derecho do across central Indiana?
The derecho of 10 August 2020 brought widespread wind damage across central Indiana, with trees and power lines down. The National Weather Service Indianapolis office's anniversary record describes the event, and the damage to roofs followed the paths of the strongest wind.
The National Weather Service's Indianapolis office reports four deaths across the Midwest from the storm, and widespread wind damage in central Indiana with trees and power lines down. Those are regional descriptions, and this page does not count the damage in any county.
For a roof, the lesson is that a derecho's damage is patchy. One street can lose its trees and the next can lose only shingles. The storm record for the address is therefore the first thing a repair is checked against.
Why is a fallen tree more dangerous to a roof than wind alone?
A tree or a limb carries its own weight, and it can break through the covering and the decking in one blow. Once it is on the roof, its weight can load the framing and make it unsafe to walk.
A limb that has broken into a roof can also crack rafters that were fine before the impact. The crack may not show from the attic until the weight is taken off, so the framing is checked after the limb is removed as well as before.
A trunk or a large limb that is resting on the roof is unstable. It can roll or shift when it is cut, and the crew plans each cut so the limb does not move onto the people below or onto the house.
How is the damage staged for repair?
The repair is staged in order: make it safe, remove the limb, cover the opening, repair the structure and then the covering. Each stage depends on the one before, and the order protects the house and the crew.
Making it safe comes first: power lines are checked and the house is secured. The limb is then removed, the opening is covered and the interior is protected. Only when the roof is watertight does the structural repair begin, and the covering is replaced last.
The crew keeps the staging visible to the homeowner. A short plan that lists each stage and its date is given at the start, and the record notes each stage as it is finished.
What does the insurer need after a storm of this kind?
The insurer needs a dated record of the damage, photographs of the limb and the opening, the storm reference for the address, and the repair invoices. The insurer decides what the policy covers and what it pays.
The record should separate the damage from the limb, from the wind and from any older wear. A limb that has crushed a gutter is a different item from a hail dent, and the claim is clearer when each is described on its own line.
The homeowner should photograph the damage from the ground before the limb is removed, if that can be done safely, and keep the originals. The photographs and the crew's record together are the basis of any claim.
What about the ceiling, the attic and the rooms below?
A limb through the roof often damages the ceiling and the rooms below it. The ceiling is checked for weight and water, the wet materials are removed where they are soaked, and the room is dried before any repair is made.
A ceiling that has been struck by a limb can crack or fall, and the room below should be cleared before anyone enters. The technician checks the ceiling's stability and tells the homeowner whether it is safe to stand in the room.
The drying plan follows the same logic as any water loss. The wet materials are removed where needed, the structure is dried with air movement and the ceiling is repaired only once it is dry.
Warning signs
Signs you need derecho and fallen-tree roof repair
Do not approach a fallen tree or a downed power line, and do not climb onto a roof with a limb on it. Keep people and pets well back. Call the utility for any line that is down, and do not touch metal fences, gutters or trees near a line. Wait for the crew, which will make the area safe and remove the limb in controlled pieces.
- A limb or a trunk resting on the roof, with the covering dented or broken below it
- A dent in the roof line at the ridge where a branch came down
- A ceiling that is sagging or cracked under the roof where the limb landed
- Broken shingles and split decking visible from the attic
- Gutters crushed or pulled away where debris fell across them
- Daylight through the roof near a hole torn by a limb
- Power lines down near the house, which make the roof unsafe to approach
Our process
How our derecho and fallen-tree roof repair visit works
Keep people and power lines clear
Anyone near a downed line keeps well back and calls the utility. The roof is not approached until the lines are dead and the tree is secured, and the crew checks this before anything else.
Assess the roof and the tree
The technician checks whether the roof can be reached safely, whether the limb is still loaded and whether the decking can take a person's weight. A limb that is resting on the roof is treated as unstable until it is secured.
Remove the limb and cover the opening
A crew with the right equipment removes the limb in controlled pieces, and the open section is covered with a tarp or a temporary seal. The interior is protected below it, and the ceiling is checked for weight and water.
Repair the decking, the covering and the framing
Broken rafters and split decking are repaired or replaced, and the covering is restored to match the surrounding roof where a match is possible. The flashing and the ridge are checked for knock-on damage.
Record the storm damage separately
The damage from the limb and the wind is photographed and recorded with the date and the storm warning for the address. The record separates the storm's damage from any older wear, and it goes to the homeowner and the insurer.
Options
Types and options for derecho and fallen-tree roof repair
Limb resting on the roof
A limb that has dented the covering without breaking through. It is removed carefully, and the dent is checked for cracked shingles and for decking damage underneath.
Wind-stripped roof after a derecho
Shingles, ridge caps and flashing stripped by the wind across one or more slopes. The repair follows the wind-damage process, with the derecho's record added to the report for the address.
Job stories
Typical jobs for derecho and fallen-tree roof repair
A limb through the covering after a summer storm
- What homeowners notice
- A summer storm brings down a limb from a large tree on the lot, and it breaks through the covering of the back slope. A bedroom ceiling below is sagging with water, and the homeowner asks for help on the same afternoon.
- What we do
- The crew confirms the power lines near the house are clear and secures the limb before cutting it in controlled pieces. The opening is covered with a tarp, and the interior is protected below it. The attic is checked for a cracked rafter, which is sistered before the decking is replaced.
- What to expect
- The roof is watertight by evening. The record lists the limb damage, the cracked rafter, the wind marks found on the front slope and the storm date for the address, kept in separate sections for the insurer.
One call and it gets handled.
Tell us when you need someone and we book the earliest visit a derecho and fallen-tree roof repair technician has, and you approve the price before any work starts.
Marion County
Why derecho and fallen-tree roof repair is different in Central Indiana
The NWS Indianapolis office's record of the 10 August 2020 derecho describes four deaths across the Midwest and widespread wind damage in central Indiana, with trees and power lines down. A storm of that size tests every tree on a lot, so a roof repair after a derecho often includes a check of the trees that overhang it.
In older neighborhoods such as Irvington and Broad Ripple, a limb that falls on an older house can strike a roof with weaker framing than a newer one, and the attic check for cracked rafters is part of every storm call there.
A derecho can bring trees down across several roofs on the same street, in the suburbs as in the city, so the record for each address is kept separately and a claim for one house is not confused with the next.
Related
Related services
Wind Damage Roof Repair
Re-sealing lifted shingles, replacing missing ridge caps and securing the flashing that straight-line gusts pull loose.
Emergency Roof Tarping
A temporary cover over an open or damaged roof so the next thaw or rain stays out, with the permanent repair planned afterwards.
Storm Damage Records for Insurance
A dated, photographed roof record for a claim after ice, wind or hail, with no promise about what the insurer will pay.
Gutter and Downspout Repair
Straightening or replacing gutter runs, clearing ice-blocked outlets and resetting the downspouts that carry water away from the wall.
Where we work
Derecho and Fallen-Tree Roof Repair across Marion County
- Derecho Repair in Indianapolis
- Derecho Repair in Haughville
- Derecho Repair in Fountain Square
- Derecho Repair in Meridian-Kessler
- Derecho Repair in Beech Grove
- Derecho Repair in Irvington
- Derecho Repair in Lawrence
- Derecho Repair in Speedway
- Derecho Repair in Southport
- Derecho Repair in Decatur Township
- Derecho Repair in Broad Ripple
- Derecho Repair in Clermont
- Derecho Repair in Cumberland
- Derecho Repair in Castleton
- Derecho Repair in Greenwood
- Derecho Repair in Camby
- Derecho Repair in Avon
- Derecho Repair in Brownsburg
- Derecho Repair in Plainfield
- Derecho Repair in New Palestine
- Derecho Repair in Carmel
- Derecho Repair in Zionsville
- Derecho Repair in Fishers
- Derecho Repair in Whiteland
Not sure if you're covered? Check your ZIP code.
Guides
Read before you book
What did the 2020 derecho do to Indianapolis roofs?
The 10 August 2020 derecho brought widespread wind damage across central Indiana, with trees and power lines down, according to the National Weather Service's Indianapolis office.
Does homeowners insurance cover ice and wind roof damage in Indiana?
An Indiana homeowners policy generally responds to sudden damage to a roof from wind and similar events, and generally excludes wear, neglect and damage that builds up over time.
FAQ
Derecho and Fallen-Tree Roof Repair FAQs
Should I cut the limb off my roof myself?
No. A limb on a roof can roll or shift when it is cut, and the roof may not bear a person's weight. Keep people clear and call a crew with the right equipment.
What do I do if a power line is down near the house?
Keep everyone well back, do not touch the line or anything it is touching, and call the utility. The roof work waits until the line is dead and the area is safe.
Will the insurer cover the tree damage to the roof?
The insurer decides under the policy, and the policy may treat tree damage in its own way. The record with the photographs, the date and the storm reference supports the claim.
How do you cover an open roof after a limb has come through?
A tarp or a temporary seal goes over the opening once the limb is removed and the area is safe. The interior is protected below, and the permanent repair is planned from there.
Can you check the trees as well as the roof?
The technician notes trees that overhang the roof and any damage to the roof from them. Tree work itself is done by a company that does that work, and the technician can recommend one.
How soon can you come after a derecho?
The line is answered around the clock on (833) 751-2102. A crew is sent as soon as one is free, and the crew will say when it expects to arrive, since storm roads can be slow.