Windstorm damage in the Puget Sound
Big windstorms hit Western Washington most winters, and the region’s tall firs and mature trees mean wind damage often becomes tree damage. On November 19, 2024, a bomb cyclone knocked trees onto homes and roads across northwest Washington, and nearly 600,000 Washington homes lost power, according to the Associated Press. Storms like that leave many homes with an opening in the roof at the same time, in weather that keeps raining for days.
Not all wind damage is this visible. Gusts can lift shingles, loosen flashing around chimneys and vents, and pull gutters away from the fascia. That damage may only show up days later, as a stain on a ceiling or a damp smell in the attic, so it is worth checking after every major windstorm.
What our wind and tree damage service includes
Our work starts once the tree or limb has been taken off the structure. From there we handle the building and the water:
- Closing the house in: emergency roof tarping and board-up of broken windows, doors and skylights.
- Water extraction: removing water from the attic, ceilings and wall cavities, and pulling out soaked insulation and ceiling drywall that can’t be dried.
- Structural drying: drying framing, subfloors and walls, with moisture readings until they are dry.
- Belongings: moving and protecting contents in the affected rooms, and listing what can’t be saved.
- Documentation: photos, moisture readings and an itemized scope for your insurance claim.
- Repairs: replacing drywall, ceilings, insulation and roofing once the structure is dry.
What to do right now
- Get out of the damaged rooms. A cracked rafter or ceiling can drop further. For danger to life, call 911.
- Stay away from downed lines. The Washington State Department of Health advises staying away from downed power lines; call your utility to report them.
- Don’t cut the tree yourself. A trunk resting on a roof can shift. Call a tree service for removal.
- Take photos of the tree, the roof and any water inside, before anything is moved.
- Call your insurer, then call us to cover the opening and start drying.
When to call us
Call when a tree or limb has broken through the roof or a window, when you find water in the attic or on a ceiling after a windstorm, or when wind has torn off shingles over a living area. If the same storm also brought flooding, see storm and flood cleanup; for offices, stores and apartment buildings, see commercial storm damage restoration. Our storm and disaster restoration page covers the full range of storm work, and our guide to homeowners insurance and water damage in Washington explains how claims usually work.
We respond to wind and tree damage across Seattle, Renton, Auburn, Puyallup and nearby cities in King and Pierce County.
Call (206) 203-6155 for wind and tree damage repair, 24/7.
