What to Do After Storm Damage to Your Roof in Jacksonville and Northeast Florida

If a hurricane, tropical storm, or severe thunderstorm just rolled through Jacksonville or anywhere in Northeast Florida, your roof is probably the most expensive thing you cannot see right now. Joey Lappin, owner of Lappin Roofing, wrote this guide to walk you through the first 24 hours — and the next two weeks — without getting talked into a roof you do not need.

The first 24 hours

1. Get everyone safe inside

Do not climb on the roof yourself, especially while it is still wet. Most post-storm injuries we hear about are homeowners trying to look at the damage and slipping. The roof can wait a day; you cannot.

2. Identify active leaks from inside

Walk every room. Look at ceilings, light fixtures, and the tops of walls. If you see active dripping or a growing wet stain, put a bucket under it and poke a small hole at the bottom of the bulge with a screwdriver to release the trapped water — that prevents a ceiling collapse later.

3. Photograph everything before you touch it

Time-stamped photos and short videos of every leak, stain, and exterior shingle on the ground are gold for an insurance claim. Photograph from multiple angles, with reference objects (a ruler, a coin, your hand) for scale.

When to call for emergency tarping

Call a local roofer for emergency tarping if any of these are true:

• You can see daylight, sky, or actual sheathing through your ceiling
• Water is actively coming in faster than buckets can catch it
• A tree limb has punctured the roof
• You see large sections of shingle, tile, or metal panel missing from the street

Lappin Roofing offers 24/7 emergency tarping across Jacksonville and Northeast Florida — Joey or his lead answers the phone, and we respond within 1 hour, often faster, during active weather events. We use heavy-mil reinforced tarps mechanically fastened with cap nails and battens, not weights and bricks. A proper tarp will protect a damaged roof for 30–60 days while permanent repairs are scheduled.

Documenting damage for insurance

Most Florida homeowner policies require you to take "reasonable steps" to prevent further damage — that means tarping a hole, even before the adjuster arrives. Save receipts for everything you spend, including the tarp.

When we arrive for an inspection, we deliver:

• Annotated photos of every damaged element, plane by plane
• A written narrative describing wind, hail, or impact damage
• Measurements of the affected areas
• A line-item scope a carrier can act on

If your damage is significant, file the claim through your carrier within 7 days. Florida law gives you longer, but adjuster availability dries up fast after a named storm.

Choose a local roofer over storm-chasers

After every named storm, out-of-state contractors flood Jacksonville with door-knockers, magnets on rented trucks, and "free roof inspection" yard signs. Some are honest. Many are not. The pattern is consistent: they sign you up for the work, collect the carrier's first check, install fast, and disappear back to the Midwest before warranty season — leaving the next leak to a local roofer to clean up.

A local Jacksonville roofer is here in Year 5 when a flashing detail needs attention. We work in Duval, St. Johns, Nassau, Clay, and Flagler counties year-round, not just after the next storm. That is the difference between a real warranty and a piece of paper.

Working with your insurance carrier

You do not have to go alone. Joey will meet your adjuster on the roof, walk them through every documented item, and write supplements when items are missed. We have done this dozens of times in Northeast Florida and we know how to keep the conversation honest on both sides.

What we will not do is inflate damage, file fraudulent claims, or push for a full replacement when a repair will hold. That is the line that separates real local roofers from storm-chasers — and it is the line we will not cross.

The two-week timeline

• Hour 0–4: Safety, identify active leaks, photograph everything.
• Hour 4–24: Call for emergency tarping if needed. Save receipts.
• Day 1–3: File your claim. Schedule an independent inspection from a local roofer.
• Day 3–10: Adjuster meets local roofer on the roof. Scope is written.
• Week 2+: Permanent repair or replacement scheduled, often within 2–4 weeks.

Have a question about your roof in Jacksonville or anywhere across Northeast Florida? Joey will answer the phone himself — call (904) 437-7710 or request a free quote.