Storm Damage Cleanup in Spokane
Windstorm, ice, and heavy-snow water intrusion: board-up coordination, extraction, and structural drying.
Wind, Ice, and Snow All End the Same Way: Water Inside
Spokane's storms come in more varieties than most cities deal with. The November 2015 windstorm put ponderosa pines through roofs across the county and left much of the region dark; Ice Storm in November 1996 coated the city in freezing rain and did the same with falling limbs. Heavy snow seasons load roofs until something gives, as the record December 2008 snows proved on buildings around the area, and the slower version of the same problem is the ice dam: a ridge of refrozen meltwater at the eave that backs liquid water under the shingles and down through ceilings and wall cavities for weeks. Summer brings its own short, violent thunderstorms that drive rain through flashing and overwhelm gutters in minutes.
However the opening happens, the script afterward is the same. Water tracks through attic insulation, follows framing down wall cavities, and shows up as ceiling stains, bubbled paint, and wet carpet far from the actual breach. Soaked blown-in insulation holds water against the ceiling drywall below it, which is why a small roof opening can produce a collapsed ceiling two rooms away days later. Finding the full wet footprint takes moisture meters, not a flashlight, and finding it early is what keeps a tarp-and-dry job from becoming a tear-out.
Stabilize First, Rebuild Second
The emergency phase is about stopping continued intrusion and drying what got wet: tarp and board-up coordination, extraction, controlled removal of saturated insulation and sagging ceiling material before it comes down on its own, and commercial drying. Permanent roof and structural repairs come after the adjuster's inspection, but mitigation cannot wait for it, and no Washington policy requires you to wait. Photograph everything before and during, keep receipts for tarps and emergency work, and let the crew's moisture documentation anchor the claim.
Two cautions specific to winter losses. First, ice dam claims hinge on the distinction between the resulting interior water damage, which homeowners policies generally cover, and the dam removal or roof maintenance itself, which they often do not; documentation of the interior damage path is what protects you. Second, be wary of door-knockers after a windstorm. Storm-chasing outfits follow damage, take deposits, and leave town. A licensed, locally accountable crew is worth the phone call, even on a busy week.
Filing a claim? Read the Washington water damage insurance claim guide before you call your carrier.
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Storm Damage Cleanup: Common Questions
Snow is still falling and water is coming through the ceiling. Can a crew come now?
Crews dispatch as soon as travel and roof conditions allow work, often while the weather is still active. Interior containment, extraction, and controlled drainage of a bulging ceiling can usually start immediately even if the roof itself has to wait for safe access.
Is ice dam damage covered by insurance?
Usually in two parts. The interior water damage that results, including ceilings, walls, insulation, and flooring, is generally covered by Washington homeowners policies. Removing the ice dam and repairing wear-related roof issues often is not. Document the interior damage thoroughly and let the adjuster see the water's path.
Should I make temporary repairs myself?
Reasonable emergency measures, like tarping an opening you can safely reach, are encouraged by insurers and covered as mitigation. Keep receipts and photos. Skip anything involving ladders in wind, snow-loaded roofs, sagging ceilings, or standing water near power. Roof raking from the ground is fine; climbing onto an iced roof is not.
Areas We Serve Around Spokane
Our local partner network covers Spokane and the surrounding communities. Crews are dispatched from the closest available location, 24 hours a day.