How does rain get from a roof opening into the ceiling?
Rain that enters through a roof opening runs along the decking and the top of the insulation, then down through the batts and into the wall cavities. The ceiling below is often the last place it shows, which is why the stain can appear days after the storm.
Insulation acts like a sponge, and once it is wet it keeps the water in place until it is removed or dried. Water spreads along the top of the batts before it drips through, so the wet area in the attic is usually larger than the stain below. The shape of the stain on the ceiling does not show the shape of the wet insulation.
Water also follows the framing. It runs along a rafter or a joist to the nearest low point and then drops through a gap, a light fixture or a seam. The technician follows the framing to find the wet areas and checks the ceiling in several places rather than just under the first stain.
Can I put a tarp over the roof myself?
It is safer to leave roof work to a crew or roofer, because a damaged roof can give way and a tarp in wind can pull off. A technician can cover an opening when the roof is safe, and a roofer can repair it later.
Roofs that have been hit by a tree are often unstable. The decking may be cracked, and a section that looks solid can give under a person's weight. Climbing onto the roof to place a tarp is one of the most common ways people get hurt after a storm.
If a temporary cover is placed, it should be secured by people who can work on the roof safely. Keep records of the date and the work, and let the technician see the cover when they arrive, so the readings can be read with it in mind.
What should be removed from the ceiling?
Ceiling materials that are sagging, that hold a lot of water or that have come loose are removed carefully. Panels that are only stained and firm can often be dried in place, and the decision is made from readings rather than appearance.
A drywall panel that is full of water can fail all at once and drop wet material onto the room below. The technician checks each panel by pressing lightly and by reading the moisture at the edges, then removes the panels that are holding the most water.
Removing a panel is a controlled step. The room is covered, the water inside is drained where it can be, and the panel is taken out in sections. The cavity behind it is then dried and recorded, and the opening is kept small enough to be patched later.
How do I know the attic is dry enough to close up?
The attic is ready to close up when the insulation, the decking and the framing read dry against reference materials in the same house. A visual check is not enough, because wet material under dry-looking surfaces can take a long time to release its water.
The technician takes readings over several visits and compares the trend. A steady drop toward the dry reference is a good sign. A reading that stalls or rises again points to a source of water that has not been stopped, such as an opening that was not fully covered.
Once the readings are dry, the openings are closed, and the record of the readings goes with the final report. That report is the document the roofer will need before rebuilding the decking.
What does the insurer usually want to see after a tree fall?
Insurers generally want to see the tree's location, the photographs of the opening, a record of the water work and a list of what was removed. The policy decides what is covered, so the records should be complete and dated.
A clear sequence of events helps. The photographs show the tree and the opening before anything was moved. The notes show the covering, the removal and the drying. The list of removed items shows what was lost and why it could not be saved.
The records are yours to keep and to share. A technician can provide copies of the readings and the photographs, and those copies can go to the insurer, the roofer or the repair contractor you choose.
