After a storm in Richmond: a 24-hour roof check and how to trace a leak

We are an information site, not a roofing contractor.

Why a Richmond roof is tested all year

Richmond's storms come in three flavors, and each tests a roof differently.

The first is rain that arrives all at once. In August 2004 the remnants of Tropical Storm Gaston dropped 12.60 inches on the West End of Richmond, most of it in about eight hours that night. National Hurricane Center The second is wind with falling trees. The National Weather Service's assessment of Hurricane Isabel in 2003 found that the ground was already soaked, so the same wind brought down more trees, and about 1.8 million customers in Virginia lost power. National Weather Service The derecho of June 29, 2012 crossed ten states and Washington, DC with gusts over 80 mph in places; 13 people died, mostly from falling trees, and about 4 million customers lost power, some for up to a week. National Weather Service

The third is the ordinary weather that never makes the news. Richmond averages 45.50 inches of precipitation a year (1991–2020 normals), spread across every season: 13.91 inches in summer and 9.35 in winter. National Weather Service A roof with a slightly open flashing joint or clogged gutter is tested all year, which is why a check after a storm is useful but not the only one.

Hour 0 to 2: safety first

Stay off the roof. A wet roof is slippery, and storms leave hidden damage in the structure and the trees above you.

• Treat any wire on the ground or hanging low as live. Stay away and call 911 or your utility.
• Look at the trees before you look at the roof. A leaning trunk or a cracked limb hanging over the house can fall later.
• If a branch or tree is on the roof, keep people out from underneath and do not try to cut it free yourself.
• If water is coming through a ceiling near a light fixture, switch that circuit off at the panel before you go near it.

Hour 2 to 6: look from the ground

Walk the whole perimeter in daylight, using binoculars or the zoom on your phone. Photograph what you see, with the date on the file.

Check for:

• Shingles missing, lifted or creased, and bare patches where they used to be.
• Metal along chimneys, vents and where the roof meets a wall (flashing) that is bent, loose or pulled away.
• Gutters that are sagging, pulled from the fascia, or packed with leaves and shingle grit, plus downspouts that no longer carry water away from the foundation.
• Dents or fresh scrapes on a porch roof, an addition, or a rear roof you cannot see from the street.
• Fresh limbs or debris on the roof, and daylight or sagging along the ridge line.

Gutters matter more here than in many cities. About a third of Richmond is under tree canopy (32% in 2021, down from 42% in 2014), so many roofs still sit under oaks and maples that shed leaves into the gutters every fall. City of Richmond A clogged gutter can back water up under the lowest shingles, so clearing gutters, from a ladder only if you can do so safely, is a sensible part of an autumn check.

Hour 6 to 12: the attic and the ceilings

If you have attic access, go up with a flashlight in daylight, after the rain has stopped.

• Look for dark stains or wet streaks on the underside of the roof boards, around the chimney, plumbing vents and roof valleys.
• Press the insulation lightly. Damp or matted insulation points to water that has been coming in for a while.
• Look for pinpoints of daylight where there should be none.

Now trace the leak. Water usually does not drip straight down from the hole. It runs along a rafter or a roof board until it finds a gap, then falls. A ceiling stain can sit several feet from the actual entry point, and water can show up at an outer wall or a light fixture far from the damaged spot. To trace it:

1. Mark the edge of every ceiling stain with a pencil and write the date, so you can see whether it grows.
2. Find the same spot in the attic and look uphill along the framing, toward the ridge.
3. If the stain only appears after wind-driven rain, think flashing, a vent, or a window or wall joint. If it appears after any rain, think damaged shingles, a gutter backup, or a pipe vent boot.
4. Put a bucket under a drip, with a towel or plastic sheet under the bucket. If a ceiling is bulging with water, keep people out from underneath it and call a professional.

Take a photo of every stain with a tape measure or a coin for scale.

Hour 12 to 24: reduce damage and report it

• Move furniture and valuables out from under stains. Once the rain has stopped, run a fan so wet materials can start to dry.
• If you need a temporary cover, have a professional install a tarp, because walking on a storm-damaged roof is risky. Keep every receipt for emergency work.
• Call your insurance company to report damage. Virginia's claim rules say the insurer must acknowledge your notice within 15 calendar days and give you forms and instructions; if it denies a claim, it has to tell you in writing and explain why. Virginia regulations Keep the date of the call and the name of the person you spoke with.
• Before hiring for repairs, remember that Virginia requires a state contractor license for most jobs or bids over $1,000, roofing work is covered by the ROC specialty and also by the RBC and CBC classes and the HIC and CIC specialties, and a local business license does not count. Virginia DPOR Our guide on what a roof replacement costs in Richmond shows how to check a license and read a contract.

Questions? Call (804) 764-9710 — we are a local roofing information service, not a contractor.