What to Do After Storm Damage to Your Roof

How Cambridge Weather Can Damage Your Roof

Cambridge sits in one of the driest parts of England on average, but that does not protect it from the storms that sweep across the Fens and the flat Cambridgeshire countryside. Without hills or dense woodland to break the wind, gusts hit rooftops across the city and surrounding villages with real force. Victorian terraces in Romsey, 1930s semis in Trumpington, and exposed farmhouses near Grantchester all face the same risk: lifted ridge tiles, torn flashing, and cracked slates after a bad storm.

The most common storm damage we see is displaced or missing ridge and hip tiles, lead flashing that has been peeled back from chimney stacks, and slates or concrete tiles that have cracked under flying debris. Flat roofs can blister and lift at the edges when wind gets underneath a membrane. Each of these problems lets water in fast, so acting quickly matters.

What to Do Immediately After a Storm

First, stay safe. Do not climb onto the roof yourself to inspect the damage. Wet tiles and gusty conditions are dangerous, and most insurance policies will not cover injuries sustained during a DIY inspection. View the roof from ground level or from an upstairs window if it is accessible safely.

Look for these warning signs from the ground:

• Tiles or slates lying in the garden or gutters
• A ridge tile that looks out of line or is sitting at an angle
• Daylight visible in the loft space (check from inside with the light off)
• Dark patches on ceilings or water dripping into the property
• Gutters that have pulled away from the fascia boards

If you can see daylight in the loft or water is actively entering the property, place buckets and protect furniture with plastic sheeting. Call a roofer as soon as possible for an emergency inspection. We cover Cambridge and the surrounding villages and can carry out urgent assessments quickly.

Contacting Your Insurer

Notify your home insurer the same day if you can. Most household buildings insurance policies cover storm damage, but the insurer will want evidence. Take photographs from the ground before any temporary repairs are made, document the date and time of the storm, and keep any receipts for emergency work. Your insurer may ask for an independent report, so choose a roofer who can produce a written condition report alongside the repair quote.

Be aware that wear and tear is not covered. If the storm exposed an underlying problem, such as corroded flashing or slipped tiles that were already loose, the insurer may reduce or reject the claim for those elements. A straightforward storm damage claim, however, is usually settled without dispute if the evidence is clear.

Getting the Roof Assessed and Repaired

A proper post-storm inspection covers the whole roof, not just the visible damage. A tile missing in one spot often means neighbouring tiles have shifted too. We check ridge and hip mortar, flashing joints at chimneys and dormers, the condition of valley gutters, and the state of fascias, soffits and guttering, which frequently suffer in high winds.

For straightforward storm repairs, a roofer will re-bed and re-point displaced ridge tiles, replace broken slates or concrete tiles, and reseal or replace lead flashing. Costs vary considerably depending on roof size, pitch, access, and the extent of the damage. Minor repairs to a standard semi-detached roof might cost a few hundred pounds; more extensive work involving scaffold on a larger detached property will cost more. Get at least two written quotes before proceeding.

Where a storm has caused widespread damage across a large section of the roof, it is sometimes more economical to consider a full roof replacement rather than repeated patchwork repairs. We will always give you an honest assessment of which option makes better long-term sense for your property.

For chimneys that have been damaged or destabilised by storm winds, specialist work is needed. The National Federation of Roofing Contractors recommends using a roofing contractor with specific chimney experience for structural chimney work, as poorly pointed or cracked stacks can become a safety risk. Find out more about chimney rebuilds if your stack has taken a significant impact.

Temporary Repairs and Planning Permission

If a roofer cannot attend immediately, temporary weatherproofing may be applied, such as a heavy-duty tarpaulin secured over the damaged area. This is a holding measure only and should be replaced with a permanent repair as soon as possible. Prolonged use of a tarp can itself cause problems if rainwater pools or wind catches it.

Most like-for-like storm repairs do not require planning permission. However, if your property is in a conservation area, such as parts of central Cambridge, or is a listed building, replacing materials with a different type may require consent. The UK Government planning guidance is the best starting point to check whether consent applies to your situation.

Book a Free Post-Storm Roof Survey

If your roof has been affected by recent storms, do not wait for the next downpour to reveal hidden damage. Contact Cambridge Roofers for a free local roof survey and we will give you a clear, written assessment of the damage and an honest quote for putting it right.

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