Storm damage roof repair in the Chippewa Valley

Wisconsin gets hammered. Hail in spring and summer, wind events year-round, ice damming through deep winter, and the occasional fallen tree from a thunderstorm. Most storm damage doesn’t show up from the ground — you need a roofer on the roof to confirm whether what hit your house actually caused damage worth filing a claim over.

We’ve been documenting storm damage in Eau Claire and the Chippewa Valley long enough to know what insurance adjusters take seriously and what gets dismissed as wear and tear. We’ll inspect for free, tell you honestly whether you have a viable claim, and document everything you need to give your carrier.

Types of storm damage we see in Eau Claire

The damage pattern depends on what hit:

Hail damage is the most common storm claim in our area. Look for granule loss visible in the gutters and downspouts, bruising on the shingle mat (round, soft spots that show when you press), and spider-cracks across the shingle surface. Severe hail (1.5”+ diameter) can crack shingles outright; smaller hail does cumulative damage over a single storm or a series of storms.

High-wind damage lifts shingles and exposes underlayment. The visible signs are obvious — missing shingles, exposed felt, flashing torn loose. The less-visible problem is the cracked sealant strip on adjacent shingles that didn’t fully lift but lost their seal. Those will start lifting in the next wind event.

Tree and branch damage is anything from a single broken branch resting on the roof to a full tree through the structure. Even a small branch usually means trapped water, scuffed shingles, and bent flashing — even if the punctures aren’t obvious. Don’t push a branch off yourself; let us assess what’s underneath first.

Ice dam damage is unique to colder climates and one of the most common winter claims in the Chippewa Valley. Water backs up under the lower courses of shingles, finds its way under the underlayment, and shows up as stains on interior ceilings near exterior walls. The damage is usually inside the house, not on top of it — but the cause is on the roof and needs to be addressed at both ends.

Free inspection, no obligation

Our storm damage inspections are genuinely free, with no obligation to use us for the repair. The process:

1. Schedule a visit, usually within 1-3 business days of your call (faster for active leaks).
2. We walk the roof if conditions allow, photograph everything we find — close-ups of damage, drone shots for context, gutter and downspout debris if there’s hail granule loss.
3. We write up a damage report with our findings, including likely cause and rough scope of repair.
4. You get a copy. If you’re filing a claim, that documentation goes to your insurance company.
5. If you decide to use a different roofer for the repair, we still want you to have the inspection. Quality documentation makes the claims process smoother regardless of who eventually does the work.

Working with insurance

Roofing insurance claims have a predictable rhythm. Knowing what’s coming makes the process less stressful:

• You file the claim with your carrier (we don’t file for you — that has to come from the policyholder).
• The insurance company assigns an adjuster, who’ll typically schedule a roof visit within 1-2 weeks.
• We can be there for the adjuster’s visit. Strongly recommended — adjusters miss things, and our documentation gives them the full picture rather than a quick walk-around.
• The adjuster writes their scope of loss — what they think is covered and what they’ll pay for.
• If their scope misses things (extra dump fees, code-required upgrades like new ice and water shield, ventilation work that’s required because of code changes since the original install), we file a supplement to add those items. Most carriers expect supplements; it’s a normal part of the process.
• Once the scope is finalized, you get an ACV (actual cash value) check — the depreciated value of the loss minus your deductible. After the work is done, you get the RCV (replacement cost value) reconciliation check, which covers the depreciation.

We coordinate with you and the carrier through all of this. Our role is the on-roof expert; you’re the policyholder making the financial decisions.

Common insurance gotchas

A few things that catch homeowners off guard:

• Wear and tear isn’t covered. A 25-year-old roof showing widespread granule loss is at end-of-life, not damaged. We’ll tell you honestly which side of that line you’re on. Filing a claim that gets denied as wear-and-tear can flag your account.
• “Cosmetic damage” exclusions. Some carriers exclude purely cosmetic hail damage on metal roofs (denting that doesn’t compromise function). Read your policy or ask your agent.
• Deductible math. Some policies have flat deductibles, some have wind/hail-specific deductibles that are a percentage of dwelling coverage. A 1% deductible on a $300,000 home is $3,000, not the standard $1,000 most folks expect.
• Don’t sign over benefits to anyone. Some storm chasers ask homeowners to sign an “Assignment of Benefits” giving the contractor the right to collect insurance proceeds directly. That’s how you end up locked into using one specific roofer. We don’t ask for AOBs and you shouldn’t sign one without legal advice.

Timeline after a major storm

After a major hail or wind event in the area, expect roofing demand to spike. Rough order of operations:

1. Tarp anything actively leaking — same day, before the next storm. Even a small leak compounds fast in May or June rain.
2. Call your insurance company to file the claim. Note your claim number; you’ll reference it constantly.
3. Get a local inspection (us, or someone else established). Avoid the door-knocking crews.
4. Wait for the adjuster. This is the slow part — 2-6 weeks during a major event season.
5. Once approved, schedule the repair. Our schedule fills fast after hail events; expect 4-8 weeks out during peak season, less in shoulder seasons.

We try to fit emergency tarp service ahead of the schedule queue. Active leaks can’t wait six weeks. Call (715) 245-5271 — we’ll figure out the right next step on the phone.

What to do in the first 48 hours after a storm

The hours after a major storm are where insurance claims are won or lost. A short checklist for the day-of and day-after.

Stay off the roof. Wet shingles, broken branches, and adrenaline are a bad combination. Damage assessment from the ground is fine; getting up there yourself is rarely worth the fall risk.

Document what you can see. Walk the perimeter of the property and photograph the yard, anything from the storm visible from your driveway, neighbors’ damage if visible (it reinforces the storm event for your carrier), debris patterns. From inside, photograph any ceiling stains, water marks, daylight visible through the attic, anything that wasn’t there before.

Tarp anything actively leaking. If you can do it safely from inside (covering ceiling fixtures with plastic, putting buckets out), do that. If the leak needs roof-level intervention, call us — emergency tarps are $300-700 and dramatically cheaper than the damage that compounds while waiting.

Call your insurance before you call a contractor. Get a claim number and the adjuster contact info on file. Filing within 24-72 hours anchors the timeline; filing two weeks later opens questions about whether the damage occurred during the original storm.

Schedule inspections within 1-2 weeks. Insurance adjusters take 1-3 weeks to come out during major event seasons; you want a contractor’s documentation in hand when the adjuster arrives.

Don’t sign anything an inspector hands you on the spot. Particularly an Assignment of Benefits — that hands the contractor your insurance proceeds directly and locks you into them, with limited recourse if the work is bad. Real contractors don’t ask for AOBs.

Keep all receipts. Tarp service, hotel if displaced, food spoilage if power was out — all may be covered under your policy’s additional living expense coverage.