When a tree is in the attic or rain is blowing past a broken window, the clock started the moment the storm hit. Call Water Heater Repairer and we route you to an independent storm restoration contractor near Old Orchard who can tarp, board up and start pulling water out of the house.
The morning after a bad storm, the whole street is calling the same handful of companies. Our job is to get you to a contractor who can actually show up.
Every big storm draws storm chasers who disappear once the deposit clears. We route only to independent local contractors who carry their own license and insurance.
When storm calls stack up, we track which contractors still have tarp crews available. Arrival is often within hours, depending on road conditions and how widespread the damage is.
The contractor separates emergency work like tarping and board-up from the permanent repair on paper. Adjusters generally expect to see it broken out that way.
Storm crews arrive with reinforced roof tarps, furring strips, plywood, chainsaws and moisture meters. Closing up the envelope always comes first.
Storm water almost never enters where you would guess. Wind-driven rain gets pushed sideways under siding, through soffit vents and around window flashing that holds fine in normal weather. When the stain finally shows on the ceiling, the insulation above it is often already saturated.
Timing is the second problem. When a line of storms rolls through, hundreds of households call at once and the best crews book up by mid-morning. We keep a running picture of which independent contractors still have capacity, so you are not stuck leaving voicemails while rain comes through the ceiling. After the cover-up, drying starts right away and the roofer follows for the permanent work.
Here is the range of storm work independent contractors take on, from the first tarp to dry walls.
A proper tarp runs over the ridge and gets fastened with wood battens, not just weighed down with bricks. Done right, it holds through the next few storms until the roofer can get there.
If a tree punches through, the contractor clears the limb and closes the opening with plywood sheathing. Shattered windows and slider doors are boarded on the same trip.
A ridge of ice at the eaves traps meltwater, which backs up under shingles and runs down inside the walls. The contractor steams channels through the dam, then dries the wet wall and ceiling below.
Hail cracks skylight domes and splits the rubber vent boots around plumbing stacks. Those small openings leak quietly for weeks before a stain shows.
Wet blown insulation gets heavy and pushes ceiling drywall into a sag that can come down. The contractor drains it safely, removes the wet insulation and dries the attic framing.
With the envelope sealed, the crew extracts standing water and sets up dehumidifiers and air movers. Overflowing gutters and downspouts dumping at the foundation often add a wet basement to the list.
This is the sequence most storm jobs follow.
We ask what broke, where water is getting in and whether you still have power. If a tree is on a line or the ceiling is bowing, we tell you what to do before the crew arrives.
The crew comes ready to tarp and board up, with a generator set well outside the house if the power is out. Stopping new water from entering always comes first.
The pro photographs every opening and wet area, notes the storm date and writes up emergency and permanent work separately. Nothing past the emergency tarp moves forward until you sign.
Once drying readings reach goal, you get the photo set and moisture logs for your adjuster. If a roofer is needed, the contractor coordinates the handoff so nothing sits open.
Most homeowner policies include a duty to mitigate, meaning you have to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage. A tarp and board-up done the same day is the clearest proof you did your part.
| Temporary repair | Permanent repair |
|---|---|
| Battened roof tarp | Re-sheathed and reshingled roof section |
| Plywood board-up | Replacement window or door |
| Extraction and drying | New drywall, insulation and paint |
Have an independent storm contractor around Old Orchard dispatched now.
An oak limb came through the bedroom ceiling at two in the morning. Every company I called had a voicemail, but the dispatcher got a contractor to us before sunrise. By noon the limb was out, the roof was sheeted and drying equipment was running.
Every sunny afternoon in February, water dripped down the inside of our front wall. The contractor found an ice dam at the eave, steamed it out and dried the wall cavity. They also told us our attic ventilation was part of the problem.
After the hailstorm, the insurer wanted dated photos of everything. Before any repair started, the contractor shot the cracked skylight, torn vent boots and soaked insulation. That photo set made the claim straightforward.
Sideways rain hit my rental property for hours and the tenant called me late that night. The contractor traced it to a failed window flashing and soffit vents, tarped the gable and dried two bedrooms. I managed the whole thing remotely without making the drive.
Get the house covered first if water is actively coming in, then call your insurer. Most policies expect you to prevent further damage, and emergency tarping is usually treated as part of the claim.
Photograph every side of the home, each hole or broken window, and all interior water damage. Note the storm date, and keep any hail or debris you collected.
A battened tarp wrapped over the ridge usually lasts several weeks and often a few months. It is meant to bridge the gap until the roofer can do the permanent repair, not replace it.
Only outside, well away from doors, windows and vents, because exhaust carbon monoxide can kill. Never backfeed a house through an outlet; that can energize downed lines and injure utility workers.
A bowed ceiling usually has water and soaked insulation pressing down on it. Keep everyone out of the room, put a bucket under the low point and wait for the contractor to drain it in a controlled way.
Many storm contractors tarp and dry, then coordinate with a roofer for the final roof work. The key is a clean handoff so the roof is never left uncovered between trades.
We dispatch storm contractors across Old Orchard and the surrounding suburbs, including 18045. If one part of town takes the worst of it, we pull in contractors from neighboring areas.
Big old trees bring more roof and porch strikes when the wind picks up.
Flat roofs and party walls often need one plan covering several units.
Open lots catch more wind-driven rain and hail than sheltered blocks.
Calling early matters, because the line gets longer every hour after a storm. Every hour the house stays open adds more wet insulation, drywall and flooring to the list.
Call +1-877-637-9008