Roof & Storm Damage Restoration in Bellaire, TX

We handle the emergency side of roof and storm damage: emergency roof tarping, board-up of broken windows and doors, and drying out attics, ceilings and walls, so your home is protected until permanent repairs can be made.

Storm damage right now? Call (713) 224-7579. We answer 24 hours a day.

Is Your Ceiling Sagging? Read This First

A ceiling that’s bulging or sagging after a storm is holding water. Drywall soaked with water is very heavy and can collapse without warning.

• Get people and pets out of the room.
• Turn off power to that room at the breaker panel, especially if there’s a light fixture or ceiling fan in the wet area.
• Move furniture and electronics out from under the bulge if you can do it safely.
• Put a bucket or tub under the lowest point, and cover the floor with plastic or towels.
• Don’t poke or drain the bulge yourself unless you understand the risk. Water can come down all at once along with pieces of the ceiling.
• Take photos and video for your insurance claim.

Then call us. We’ll drain it safely, find out how much water is in the attic and walls, and start drying.

Follow the Water: How Storm Rain Moves Through Your Home

Wind-driven rain doesn’t always come in where you’d expect. Here’s the path we trace on every storm damage call, from the top of the house down.

1. The roof

Missing or lifted shingles, torn underlayment, damaged flashing around chimneys and vents, and holes from fallen branches. Strong wind can also push rain up and under shingles that look intact from the street.

2. The attic

Water lands on insulation, which soaks it up like a sponge and holds it against the ceiling drywall. Wet roof decking and rafters can grow mold quickly in a hot Bellaire attic. Water also runs along rafters and pipes, so the leak in your ceiling may be several feet from the hole in the roof.

3. The ceiling

Stains, bubbling paint, cracks along drywall seams, dripping light fixtures, and sagging areas. Textured and popcorn ceilings can hide water until they start to bulge. Popcorn ceilings in older homes may contain asbestos and should be tested before they’re disturbed.

4. The walls

Water runs down inside the walls from the ceiling, especially along exterior walls and around windows. Look for stains, peeling paint, and swelling at the top and bottom of the wall.

5. Windows and doors

Wind-driven rain gets past window seals, under exterior doors, and through broken glass. Water often shows up on window sills, in carpet near doors, and in the drywall below windows.

6. The floor

By the time water reaches the floor, it has usually already soaked the attic, ceiling and walls above. We check every level, not just where the water was puddling.

Emergency Roof Tarping

A roof tarp keeps rain out until a roofer can make permanent repairs. After a hurricane, that can take a while, because roofers are booked up across the Houston area.

How we tarp a storm-damaged roof

• Photograph the damage first, from the ground and on the roof, before anything is covered
• Clear loose debris and branches from the damaged area where it’s safe
• Use a heavy-duty tarp sized to extend well past the damaged area, including over the ridge when needed, so water can’t run underneath it
• Secure it with wood battens fastened through the tarp, not just sandbags or bricks that can blow off
• Check inside the attic to make sure water has stopped coming in

A properly installed tarp can last through several storms. A tarp held down only with bricks usually fails in the next gust of wind.

Please don’t climb on a wet or damaged roof yourself. Falls from roofs are one of the most common injuries after hurricanes.

Emergency Board-Up for Broken Windows and Doors

Broken glass lets in rain, and an open home isn’t secure. We board up with plywood cut to fit:

• Windows broken by wind, flying debris or falling limbs
• Sliding glass doors and French doors
• Exterior doors that won’t close or lock after impact
• Holes in exterior walls from fallen trees

We clean up broken glass inside, check the surrounding walls and floors for water, and start drying if water has already come in.

Attic and Ceiling Drying

This is the part of storm damage restoration that often gets skipped, and it causes problems later. Once the roof is covered, the water already in the attic and ceiling doesn’t just go away. In a hot, humid Houston attic, wet insulation and decking can start growing mold within a day or two.

What attic and ceiling drying involves

• Moisture mapping and thermal imaging across the ceiling to find the full wet area, not just the visible stain
• Removing soaked insulation, whether batts or blown-in, because wet insulation holds water against the drywall and loses its insulating value
• Drying roof decking and rafters with air movers and dehumidifiers
• Drying the ceiling drywall from above and below. Drywall that has sagged, crumbled or been wet for too long is removed.
• Checking the walls below for water that ran down inside them
• Daily moisture readings until everything reaches its drying goal

A ceiling that gets wet once and dries quickly can often be saved and repainted. A ceiling that sagged, or stayed wet for days, usually has to be replaced.

Trees and Storms in Bellaire

Bellaire’s large, mature trees are one of the best parts of living here, and one of the biggest storm risks. During hurricanes and strong thunderstorms, heavy limbs and whole trees can come down on roofs, garages, patio covers and windows. Days of rain soften the clay soil and loosen roots, so trees that stay standing in normal weather can fall.

Recent storms have shown how quickly this can happen across Houston. The derecho in May 2024 and Hurricane Beryl in July 2024 brought down trees and caused widespread roof damage and power outages across the region.

If a tree is on your house: Stay out of the rooms below it. Stay far away from any downed power lines, and report them to the utility. A tree service will need to remove the tree before the roof can be fully tarped. We can help coordinate that and secure the rest of the home in the meantime.

Hurricane Season vs. Everyday Thunderstorms

Hurricanes and tropical storms (June through November)

Long periods of strong wind and heavy rain, often with flooding at the same time. Damage can come from above (roof and windows) and from below (rising water) during the same storm. Help is in high demand across the whole region right after the storm passes.

Severe thunderstorms (any time of year)

Short, intense bursts of wind, heavy rain and sometimes hail. These often cause a single problem, like a fallen limb, lifted shingles, or a leak around a vent, that turns into ceiling damage if nobody notices it.

Both can drive rain into places a normal rain never reaches. If you had a strong storm and now notice a new ceiling stain, it’s worth checking the attic.

After Any Big Storm: A Quick Home Check

• Walk around the house and look for missing shingles, debris on the roof, and damaged gutters
• Look in the attic with a flashlight for wet insulation, dripping, or daylight through the roof
• Check ceilings in every room, especially near exterior walls, chimneys, skylights and light fixtures
• Look at window sills and the carpet near exterior doors
• Notice any new musty smell in the days after the storm
• Take photos of anything damaged, even if it looks minor

Insurance for Roof and Storm Damage

Wind and storm damage is usually handled under your homeowners policy, not flood insurance. A few things are worth knowing:

• Many Texas homeowners policies have a separate wind or hurricane deductible, often a percentage of your home’s insured value instead of a fixed dollar amount. Check yours before storm season.
• Your policy expects you to prevent further damage. Tarping the roof and boarding up windows are usually considered reasonable steps, and their cost is often part of the claim.
• Water that came in through storm damage to the roof or windows is generally treated differently from water that rose from the ground. If you had both in the same storm, they may fall under two different policies.
• Documentation matters. We photograph the roof, attic and interior before and after our work, and keep moisture logs for your adjuster.

Read your policy or call your agent to confirm your coverage and deductibles.

What We Do and Who Handles the Rest

We handle the emergency response and interior restoration: roof tarping, board-up, water extraction, attic and ceiling drying, and removal of damaged insulation and drywall. Permanent roof replacement or repair is done by a licensed roofer, and window replacement by a glass or window company. We document the damage so your roofer and adjuster know exactly what they’re dealing with.

Storm Damage? We’re Available Around the Clock

Call (713) 224-7579, any time.