Storm damage to a roof usually shows as missing or slipped tiles, lifted flashing, displaced ridge tiles and damaged gutters, plus damp patches or daylight inside the loft. Inspect from the ground only, photograph everything, and report it promptly — insurers typically class weather as a storm at around 55mph gusts.
Key takeaways
- Most roof storm damage is subtle: slipped or missing tiles, lifted flashing and loose ridge tiles rather than obvious collapse.
- Insurers generally treat damage as storm-related only when gusts reach roughly 55mph (48 knots) or rainfall is exceptionally heavy.
- You can spot most problems from the ground with binoculars — never climb onto a wet or wind-damaged roof yourself.
- Photograph everything before any repair and report it promptly; delayed or undocumented claims are a common cause of disputes.
- Well-maintained roofs ride out storms far better — clear gutters, fix cracked tiles and consider a dry ridge in the exposed North East.
High winds across the North East rarely give much warning. One night of gusts can lift tiles, peel back flashing and loosen ridge lines that had held firm for years. The tricky part is that most storm damage is not dramatic — it is a single slipped tile or a hairline gap that lets water creep in for weeks before a stain appears on a bedroom ceiling. This guide walks through what storm damage actually looks like, how to check for it safely, what your insurer will and won’t accept, and what it typically costs to put right.
What counts as storm damage to a roof?
Storm damage is any harm to the roof structure or covering caused by severe weather — chiefly high winds, but also driving rain, hail, and the impact of falling debris such as branches or a neighbour’s dislodged tiles. On a typical Sunderland home the most common forms are missing or slipped tiles and slates, lifted or torn flashing around chimneys and abutments, displaced ridge or hip tiles, and blocked or detached guttering. Wind damage tends to start at the edges and weak points of a roof — verges, ridges, and anywhere mortar has already cracked — then works inwards as each exposed area lets the next gust get a grip.
It helps to separate acute damage (something visibly broke during a named storm) from progressive damage (a small fault that worsens over many wind events). Both are repairable, but insurers treat them very differently, which is why prompt inspection matters.
What does the insurance industry classify as a “storm”?
This is where many homeowners get caught out. A roof can clearly be damaged by weather, yet a claim still be declined because the conditions did not meet the insurer’s technical definition of a storm. As a working rule, insurers look for wind gusts of around 55mph (about 48 knots) or torrential rain in the order of 25mm an hour, with evidence the weather caused the damage rather than simply revealing pre-existing wear.
- ~55mphGust speed often used as the threshold for a “storm” in buildings claims
- 25mm/hrRough rainfall intensity insurers may accept as storm conditions
- 100mphPeak gusts recorded in Scotland during Storm Éowyn, January 2025
The Financial Ombudsman Service notes that most storm-claim disputes come down to two questions: whether a storm actually occurred, and whether the storm — rather than gradual deterioration — caused the damage. The Met Office names a storm when it has the potential to cause medium or high impacts, so a named storm is useful supporting evidence, but the date and local gust readings are what an insurer will check.
The most common types of storm damage we see
After a spell of high winds across Wearside and the wider North East, the same handful of problems come up again and again. Knowing them helps you target your inspection.
| Type of damage | What it looks like | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Missing / slipped tiles | Gaps, tiles at odd angles, fragments in the gutter | Exposes the felt and timber to water within days |
| Lifted flashing | Lead peeling away from a chimney or wall abutment | One of the most common leak points after wind |
| Loose ridge / hip tiles | Mortar cracked or crumbled, ridge tiles rocking | Can become a falling hazard and a major leak path |
| Gutter / fascia damage | Sagging, detached, or overflowing guttering | Water runs down the wall, causing damp internally |
| Debris impact | Cracked tiles, dents, branches resting on the roof | Hidden cracks let water in long after the storm |
Signs of storm damage you can spot from the ground
You can identify the majority of storm damage without leaving the garden. Walk slowly around the whole property in daylight and look up methodically at each roof slope.
- Gaps or dark patches in an otherwise even run of tiles or slates — often the first sign a tile has gone.
- Tiles at odd angles or sitting proud of the line around them, which suggests they have lifted or slipped.
- Debris in the gutters and on the ground — broken tile fragments, granules, or pieces of mortar washed down from a failing ridge.
- Daylight on the ridge line looking uneven, or a ridge tile that appears to have shifted.
- Flashing around the chimney that looks peeled back, rippled, or no longer flush.
- Sagging or detached guttering, or water marks streaking down an external wall.
A pair of binoculars turns a vague glance into a proper inspection. Photograph anything that looks wrong from several angles — it is useful for both a roofer and an insurer.
Signs of storm damage inside your loft and home
Some damage never shows from outside until it has already let water in. The loft is the early-warning system. On a dry day, take a torch up and look at the underside of the roof.
- Missing or slipped tiles
- Lifted lead flashing
- Debris in gutters
- Shifted ridge tiles
- Damp patches or water stains
- Daylight through the roof
- Wet or compressed insulation
- A musty, damp smell
Pinpricks of daylight, dark damp staining on the felt or timbers, and wet insulation all point to a breach above. Downstairs, fresh stains spreading on a ceiling or the top of a wall, or paint that is bubbling, usually mean water has been getting in for a while and needs attention quickly to avoid mould and timber decay.
How to check your roof safely after a storm
No inspection is worth a fall. Roofs are slippery after rain, tiles loosened by wind can give way without warning, and ladders on soft or windy ground are dangerous. The Sunderland Roofer rule is simple: inspect from the ground, and leave anything higher to someone with the right equipment and insurance.
Wait until the wind has dropped and the surfaces are dry before you even walk around the outside. Keep clear of anything hanging or visibly loose, and keep children and pets indoors until any debris is cleared. If a tile or branch is hanging precariously, treat the area below it as a no-go zone until it is made safe.
What to do immediately after you spot damage
Acting in the right order protects both your home and any future claim.
- Make it safe, not perfect. The first priority is preventing further water ingress — for example a temporary cover over an exposed area — not a finished repair.
- Document everything. Photograph the damage from multiple angles, inside and out, before anyone touches it. Note the date and the storm.
- Limit internal damage. Move furniture, lift rugs, and catch drips in buckets if water is coming in.
- Call a roofer for a make-safe. A professional can fit a temporary cover and assess what is needed, then quote for the permanent fix.
- Contact your insurer before committing to non-urgent permanent work, so the claim process and any required evidence are agreed.
If water is actively pouring in, that is an emergency — see our guidance on what to do in a roof leak emergency for the immediate steps.
Storm damage and your insurance claim
Most standard buildings insurance policies cover storm damage to the roof, walls, windows and doors. Whether a specific claim succeeds usually depends on evidence. Insurers — and the Financial Ombudsman Service when disputes are escalated — focus on whether storm conditions occurred and whether they, rather than long-term wear, caused the damage.
- Report the damage promptly and keep a record of the storm date and local gust speeds.
- Provide clear before-and-after photographs and keep any receipts for emergency make-safe work.
- Don’t authorise full permanent repairs until the insurer has had the chance to inspect, unless it is an emergency to prevent further damage.
- Be aware that pre-existing wear, poor maintenance, or gradual deterioration are common grounds for a reduced or declined claim.
A roofer’s written report describing the cause and extent of the damage can be valuable supporting evidence. We can provide one as part of a survey if a claim is involved.
Indicative repair costs
Every roof is different, so treat the figures below as broad UK indications, not quotes. The only way to get an accurate price is a free survey, because the real cost depends on access, pitch, materials, and how much hidden damage sits beneath the surface.
| Job | Indicative UK range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency make-safe / temporary cover | £150–£500 | Buys time to plan a permanent repair |
| Replace a few slipped / missing tiles | £150–£450 | Depends on access and tile type |
| Re-bed or repoint ridge tiles | £300–£800 | Per section; full ridge costs more |
| Lead flashing repair / renewal | £200–£700 | Chimney and abutment flashings |
| Full re-roof (if widespread failure) | £5,000–£12,000+ | Varies with size and materials |
If a storm has merely exposed an ageing roof that was already near the end of its life, repair may be a false economy — our guide to the signs you need a new roof helps you judge, and our roof repair cost guide for Sunderland goes into more detail on pricing.
How long do storm repairs take?
Emergency make-safe visits are usually same-day where we can reach you; a temporary cover takes an hour or two. Permanent repairs depend on what is involved.
Weather permitting, most homes hit by a single storm need only a short repair once the make-safe is done. A full re-roof is the exception, reserved for roofs with widespread failure. For a sense of timescales on bigger jobs, see how long a new roof takes.
How to reduce storm damage in future
You cannot stop the wind, but a well-maintained roof rides out a storm far better than a neglected one. Most storm failures begin at a weak point that was already there — cracked mortar, a tired flashing, a blocked gutter forcing water back under the tiles.
- Keep gutters clear so water drains away instead of pooling and overflowing down the wall.
- Replace cracked or slipped tiles before the next blow, not after — a single gap is an invitation to the wind.
- Upgrade vulnerable mortar bedding at the ridge and verge; a mechanically fixed dry ridge system resists wind uplift far better than old mortar in our exposed North East climate.
- Deal with moss sensibly — heavy growth holds moisture and can lift tiles; see whether to remove or leave moss.
- Book an occasional inspection, especially before winter, so small faults are caught while they are cheap to fix.
If your roof is flat rather than pitched, the failure points differ — our comparison of EPDM, GRP and felt flat roofs covers how each copes with weather. And for damage centred on the chimney, the most wind-exposed part of many roofs, see chimney leak causes and fixes.