Storm Damage Roof Repair, Water Damage and Mold Prevention in Greater Seattle

After storm damage, stay off the roof, photograph what you can see from the ground, and call a roofer to cover any opening that is letting water in. If water is coming in now, use the emergency repair form.

Take dated photos of missing shingles, debris and ceiling stains before anything is moved. Our guide to the steps to take after a wind storm damages your roof covers the full list.

A tarp stops water from entering until the repair, and what a tarp can and cannot do on a Seattle roof explains the limits. Tarping is time and materials.

A roof leak usually leaves a localized stain, typically near a penetration, flashing or damaged spot. Widespread mold on attic roof sheathing in the Pacific Northwest is often caused by condensation or indoor moisture, because warm indoor air meets a cold deck.

Environix, a Seattle mold remediation company, says on its website that in its experience over 95% of attic mold cases in the Seattle region come from condensation. That is one company's view, not a study.

The two need different fixes, and our guide to roof leak versus condensation shows how to tell them apart.

Whether insurance pays depends on your policy and on what caused the damage, and your insurer makes that decision.

The Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner says homeowners insurance often covers sudden, accidental water damage. It adds that most policies do not cover gradual leaks, and that mold coverage is often limited to mold that results from a covered loss.

Gradual leaks, condensation and maintenance problems are often not covered, and your policy language decides.

Insurers also expect you to protect the property, so delaying repairs can put coverage at risk. Protect the roof now, but ask your insurer before permanent repairs.

The Commissioner's homeowner insurance guide also advises protecting your home from further damage. It says to save receipts for temporary repairs like tarping and send them to your insurer for reimbursement.

Check your policy, because coverage and limits vary. RoofSmart is not your adjuster and does not promise a claim payout.

RoofSmart is a licensed Washington general contractor. We handle the repairs the damage calls for, roof, attic and interior, with our own crews and the trades we bring in.

That includes treating mold in the attic, on the roof deck and in the interior spaces the water reached, and removing insulation and drywall that are too wet to keep. If water reached ceilings, drywall or flooring, we repair those too. The moisture source has to be fixed first, or the growth is likely to return.

The Washington Department of Health says there are no specific state certification requirements for mold or water damage restoration. Construction contractors, including those who do repairs, must be registered with the state Department of Labor and Industries.

You can check any contractor on the L&I contractor lookup.