Storm

Storm Damage Roof Checklist for Alpharetta Homeowners

By Alpharetta Roof Repairs · September 8, 2026 · 7 min read

Alpharetta's storm damage doesn't arrive with a name. It arrives at 4:30 on a July afternoon as a line of thunderstorms off the Peachtree City radar, drops an inch of rain in twenty minutes, gusts to 60 mph, and is gone by dinner. The damage it leaves is specific to this place — loblolly pines on shallow roots in wet red clay, ridge caps peeled off steep roofs, and every so often a supercell that drops real hail across Milton and Johns Creek. Here's what to walk through the next morning. Think of it as your own roof storm damage assessment: done from the ground, written down, and ready to hand to a roofer or your insurer.

First: what not to do

Don't get on the roof. Wet architectural shingles on a 10/12 pitch are a hospital visit. Everything on this list can be done from the ground, from a window, or from inside the attic.

Don't sign anything a stranger brings to your door. Crews with magnetic truck signs work Windward and Medlock Bridge within a day of any storm. If you sign at your door, read the contract's cancellation notice — consumer rules may give you a short window to cancel in writing. The Georgia Department of Law's Consumer Protection Division can tell you what applies. Better not to sign it at all. Read how to tell if a roofer is legitimate in Georgia before you talk to anyone.

The ground walk

• Trees. Is anything on the roof, leaning on the house, or hanging over it with a fresh split? A pine leaning against the roof is a structural problem waiting for the next gust. Photograph it and keep everyone out of the rooms beneath it.
• Shingles in the yard. Note which slope they came from. Whole shingles mean the seal strip failed — the roof is old or the wind was exceptional. Pieces mean the shingles are brittle.
• Ridge cap. Look at the very top of each ridge. Missing or lifted cap shingles and a ridge vent flapping loose are the most common wind damage on North Fulton roofs and the easiest to miss.
• Gutters and downspouts. Pulled loose, dented, or packed with granules that weren't there last week? A sudden pile of granules in the downspout splash block after a storm can mean hail.
• Metal. Check the mailbox, the AC condenser fins, the metal porch roof if you have one, and the top of the gutters for round dents. That's your hail indicator.
• Siding, windows, screens. Torn screens and spattered mud on one side of the house tell you which direction the wind came from, which tells the roofer which slope to look at first.

From inside

• Every ceiling, especially the bonus room and the rooms under valleys and the chimney.
• The attic, with a flashlight, for daylight and wet decking — see how to find a roof leak from inside.
• Around skylights.
• Around the fireplace.

What the damage usually is here

Creased shingles are easy to miss. Wind lifts the shingle, breaks the mat at the fold, and lets it lie back down. It looks fine. It leaks next spring. Getting the roof looked at within a few weeks of the storm, while the weather records still clearly show the wind event, can matter if you decide to file a claim.

Writing up your assessment

A page of notes beats a memory. Before you call anyone, write down:

• The date and rough time of the storm, and how long the wind lasted
• Which side of the house took the worst of it
• What you found on each side: shingles down, ridge cap missing, limbs, dents
• Every stain or drip inside, with the room and the corner
• Anything already done, such as a tarp, a towel or a moved couch

Keep the list with your photos. It helps a roofer find the damage faster, and it gives your insurer a clear record if you file.

Damage that shows up later

Not everything shows the next morning. A roof can look fine for weeks and then leak in the first long rain. Watch for these over the next month or two:

• New stains in rooms under the slope that faced the wind.
• Shingles sliding off a slope where the seal strips were torn.
• Granules piling up at downspouts after ordinary rain.
• A musty smell in the attic or a bonus room, from water that soaked in quietly.

If any of these turn up, add them to your notes with the date, and get the roof looked at.

If you rent or own a townhome

Renters should photograph damage and tell the landlord or property manager in writing the same day; the roof is the owner's to repair. In a townhome row, the roof may be shared or handled by the HOA. Check your covenants, call the management office, and send your photos before anyone books a roofer.

Storm prep before the next one

The best time to deal with storm damage is before the storm. Have an arborist look at any pine that leans toward the house. Clear the gutters and valleys so heavy rain drains. Know where the attic hatch is and keep a flashlight near it. Photograph the roof and the house on a calm day each spring; "before" photos make the "after" ones much easier to explain.

The order of calls

1. If a tree is on the house: roofer first, then insurer, then tree company. The tree has to be lifted off with a crane, not dragged, or it takes the ridge and trusses with it. A roofer can coordinate with a crane or tree crew and tarp the opening.
2. If water is coming in: roofer, then insurer. Emergency roof repair Alpharetta homeowners call for is triaged by how much water is getting in; a tarp typically runs $300–$700, more with a tree or crane. Most policies expect you to prevent further damage; ask your insurer whether the tarp is covered, and keep the receipt.
3. If nothing is coming in: roofer for an inspection, then decide about the insurer. A $400 ridge cap repair against a $5,000 wind deductible is not a claim. A creased slope on a 12-year-old roof is.

Photos and records for a claim

Time-stamped photos of everything above, from the ground. The date and rough time of the storm — the National Weather Service office in Peachtree City (weather.gov/ffc) publishes storm reports with wind speeds and hail sizes by location, and insurers often look there. Photograph the damage yourself and call your insurer or agent. A roofer can give you a written repair estimate and photos, but only a public adjuster licensed by the Georgia Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner can negotiate a claim on your behalf. This guide does not handle claims.

Never accept an offer to pay, waive or rebate your deductible. Insurers treat it as fraud, and it can put your claim at risk. A roofer who offers it is telling you what kind of company they run.

The storm damage page covers what happens after the tarp: working with your insurer, and whether to put a partial payout toward a full replacement.