Pennsylvania storms don’t announce themselves politely. One round of high wind or hail can lift shingles, break their seals, and start a leak that won’t show up on your ceiling until months later. If a storm just rolled through the Lehigh Valley, here’s exactly how to check your roof, what to do first, and how the insurance claim process really works — in plain English.
Homeowners insurance is built around sudden, accidental damage — and that’s exactly what a storm delivers. The three big culprits we see across the Lehigh Valley:
The tricky part: most storm damage is invisible from the driveway. That’s why a professional inspection matters — and why so many valid claims get missed.
After a storm, walk your property (stay on the ground) and look for:
See how these pieces fit together in our anatomy of a roof guide — the parts that fail in a storm are usually the ones you can’t see from the ground.
We’ll get on the roof, document everything with photos, and give you a straight answer — free, with no obligation.
Book a Free Storm Inspection →Wet, storm-damaged roofs are dangerous. Leave the climbing to a pro with the right equipment and insurance.
Take dated photos of any visible damage — shingles on the ground, dented gutters, interior water stains. The more evidence, the stronger your claim.
If water is actively getting in, a proper emergency tarp prevents further interior damage. We handle emergency tarping across the Lehigh Valley.
A qualified roofer can tell you whether the damage is truly claim-worthy. There’s no point filing for damage below your deductible, and no point missing damage that is covered. Our Repair-or-Replace checker is a quick gut-check, but a real inspection is what counts.
In most cases, yes — sudden wind and hail damage is a covered peril under a standard Pennsylvania homeowners policy. What insurance generally will not cover:
There are two ways policies pay out, and the difference is huge:
Check which one your policy uses before you need it. It’s the single biggest factor in what a claim actually puts back in your pocket.
This is the part homeowners dread — and the part we handle every day. Here’s more on our insurance claim support.
From documentation to the adjuster meeting to the final shingle — one local team, start to finish.
Get Your Free Inspection →It comes down to how widespread the damage is and how old the roof already was. A few blown-off shingles on a 10-year-old roof is a repair. Hail damage across every slope of a 20-year-old roof usually means a full replacement — and that’s often exactly what insurance covers. Not sure? Run the 60-second Repair-or-Replace check.
After every big storm, out-of-town “storm chaser” crews flood the area, knock on doors, and pressure homeowners to sign on the spot. Some do fine work; many vanish the moment the check clears — leaving you with no warranty and no one to call when a problem shows up. A few rules of thumb:
A broken shingle seal or a small puncture doesn’t heal. It lets water in a little at a time until it reaches the deck, the insulation, and eventually your ceiling — turning a covered repair into a much bigger, sometimes uncovered, problem. Most insurers also have a time limit for filing storm claims, so the clock starts the day the storm hits.
If a storm just came through your part of the Lehigh Valley, the smart move is simple: get a free inspection, get it documented, and know exactly where you stand.
Usually yes for sudden wind or hail damage, which is a covered peril under most Pennsylvania homeowners policies. It generally won’t cover age, wear and tear, neglected maintenance, or damage that costs less than your deductible.
Look for shingles on the ground, granules in the gutters, dented gutters and vents, and lifted or creased shingles. Much of it is only visible up close, so a professional inspection is the reliable way to know for sure.
Be cautious. Use a local, licensed, insured contractor you can find again next year, with workmanship warrantied in writing — not a door-knocking crew pressuring you to sign on the spot.
Free, no-obligation roof inspection across the Lehigh Valley — with full documentation for your insurance claim.
Book My Free Inspection →This article is general information, not insurance or legal advice. Coverage depends on your specific policy — always confirm the details with your insurer.