Monsoon Roof Damage in Phoenix: How to Prepare, Spot It and Fix It

What the monsoon actually does to a Valley roof

The National Weather Service defines Arizona's monsoon season as June 15 through September 30. Phoenix Sky Harbor averages only about 2.4 inches of rain over the whole season, and some years get far less. That low number is part of the problem: a roof can sit dry for nine months with a cracked tile, a torn underlayment seam or a clogged scupper, and nobody finds out until the first big storm dumps an inch of rain in half an hour.

Monsoon storms hurt roofs in four ways:

• Wind. The NWS calls a thunderstorm severe when it produces gusts of 58 mph or more. Collapsing storms can send downburst winds well past that, and those gusts lift shingle tabs, slide tiles out of place and peel back loose flashing.
• Wind-driven rain. Rain that blows sideways gets under tile laps, past worn pipe flashings and into wall-to-roof joints that never leak in a gentle shower.
• Dust and debris. Haboobs fill valleys, gutters and roof drains with silt, palm fronds and trash right before the rain arrives.
• Hail. Less common than wind damage here, but quarter-size hail (1 inch, the NWS severe threshold) does happen in the Valley during monsoon storms.

The other monsoon factor is heat. A roof that spent June at 150 to 170 degrees on the surface has brittle sealants, dried-out felt and shrunk coatings by the time the storms show up. The storm is often just the thing that exposes damage the summer already did.

How damage shows up on each type of roof

Most Phoenix-area homes have concrete tile, asphalt shingle, or a flat roof with foam or a membrane, and monsoon damage looks different on each.

Tile roofs. Look for tiles that slipped down, cracked, or blew off at the ridge, hips and rakes, where wind pulls hardest. A missing or broken tile leaves the underlayment open to sun and water. On older tile roofs the real damage is often under the tile: felt that was already brittle tears where a tile shifted, and water runs along the deck to a ceiling somewhere else. Valleys packed with dust and debris can overflow sideways under the tile.

Shingle roofs. Wind damage shows as missing shingles, creased tabs (a straight horizontal line across the shingle where it folded back), and shingles that lifted and lost their seal. A creased shingle can lie back down and look fine from the street but leak in the next storm. Watch for shingles in the yard and granules piled at downspout outlets.

Flat and low-slope roofs. Foam, TPO, modified bitumen and built-up roofs fail at drains, scuppers, parapet caps and the edges of rooftop AC units. After a storm, look for ponding that hasn't drained within a day or two, blistered or split coating, and debris clogging the scuppers.

Metal and flashing. Loose drip edge, lifted ridge or valley metal, and bent vent caps let water in on any roof type. Pipe jacks and roof-to-wall flashing are common storm leak points because their sealants are already sun-baked by July.

Haboobs and dust: the damage nobody photographs

A haboob is a wall of dust pushed out ahead of a collapsing thunderstorm. NOAA describes dust walls that can reach thousands of feet high with winds around 60 mph, and they usually pass in less than an hour. They rarely tear a roof apart on their own, but they set up the leak that comes next.

Dust does three things to a roof:

• It fills tile valleys, gutters, downspouts and flat-roof drains with silt, so the storm that follows backs water up instead of draining it.
• It works into tile laps and under ridge caps, and it holds moisture against the underlayment after the rain stops.
• On foam and coated flat roofs, wind-blown grit wears the coating thinner, which shortens the time until a recoat is due.

If a haboob comes through ahead of a forecast storm, the most useful thing you can do from the ground is make sure gutters and downspouts are flowing. Leave clearing valleys and roof drains to someone who walks roofs for a living.

Before June 15: a pre-season checklist

The best time to find monsoon problems is April, May or early June, before roofing schedules fill up and before the surface heat makes roof work slower. Here is what a good pre-season check covers.

From the ground, you can check:

• Gutters and downspouts are clear and firmly attached, and downspouts drain away from the foundation.
• No visible slipped, cracked or missing tiles or shingles, especially at the ridge, hips and edges.
• Trees trimmed back so branches don't rub or drop on the roof.
• Ceilings, especially near exterior walls and around skylights, have no old stains that have grown.
• In the attic, if you can get in safely early in the morning, no daylight around vents and no water stains on the deck or rafters.

On the roof, a roofer should check:

• Pipe jacks, vent flashings and roof-to-wall flashing for cracked sealant, rust and gaps.
• Tile valleys and bird stops for debris and broken pieces.
• The underlayment at a few sample spots on tile roofs older than about 15 years. Lifting a few tiles tells you more than any amount of looking at the tile.
• Flat-roof drains, scuppers, parapet caps, coating condition and any spots that held water last season.
• Rooftop AC curbs, solar mounts and satellite mounts for open penetrations.

Our standard roof inspection is free. If you want a written report with photos for a home sale or your own records, our comprehensive inspection is $149. If you'd rather not think about it every spring, our maintenance plans schedule the visits for you, starting at $199 a year.

During a storm: stay off the roof

When a storm is overhead, the only roof job is protecting people and belongings inside.

• Stay off the roof and off ladders. Wet tile and shingles are slick, wind gusts arrive with no warning, and lightning is common in monsoon cells.
• If water is coming through a ceiling, put a bucket under it and move furniture, electronics and rugs out of the way.
• If a ceiling is sagging with water, keep people out from under it. A roofer or water-damage company can open it safely to drain it.
• If water is near light fixtures, outlets or the electrical panel, turn off that circuit at the breaker if you can do it safely. If you're unsure, stay away and call an electrician.
• Note the time the leak started and where it is. That detail helps whoever traces the leak later.

After a storm: a 48-hour walkthrough

Once the storm passes and things dry out, do a calm walkthrough within a day or two. You're looking for anything that changed.

Outside, from the ground:

• Pieces of tile, shingles, granules or flashing in the yard, pool or on the driveway.
• Gaps in the tile pattern, displaced ridge caps or shingles that look lifted or out of line.
• Bent gutters, dented downspouts, dented AC fins or damaged patio covers, which point to hail or strong wind.
• Water still sitting on a flat roof two days later, if you can see it from a higher spot.

Inside:

• New ceiling stains, bubbling paint or drywall seams that weren't there before.
• A musty smell in rooms below the roof or in closets on exterior walls.
• In the attic, early in the morning before it gets hot, damp insulation or wet spots on the underside of the deck.

Take dated photos of anything you find, including wide shots that show where on the house it is. If anything looks off, call a licensed roofer for an inspection. Small storm damage that gets fixed in a week is usually a repair. The same damage left through the rest of the monsoon often means rotted decking and drywall work.

When water is coming in: emergency steps

If a storm opens the roof, the goal is to stop more water getting in until a proper repair can be done.

• Call a licensed roofing contractor. Our crews handle emergency leak response 24/7 across the Valley. You can reach us at (602) 849-7990.
• Expect a temporary fix first. That usually means tarping the area, resetting or replacing displaced tile, or sealing an opening. It is meant to hold until a permanent repair, not to be the repair.
• Ask for photos. Before and after photos of the damage and the temporary fix are useful for your records and for any insurance claim.
• Keep receipts for anything you spend to prevent further damage, such as tarps, water extraction or drying equipment. Most homeowner policies expect you to take reasonable steps to limit further damage. Check your policy for how it handles those costs.
• Don't sign a full replacement contract in the driveway. Get the temporary protection done, then take the time to get a proper inspection and written estimate.

How insurance claims for storm damage generally work

Whether a claim is covered is between you and your insurance company. Your policy, your deductible and the adjuster's findings decide that, and no roofer can promise an outcome. Here is how the process generally runs.

• Read your policy's declarations page for your deductible. Some policies have a separate or percentage deductible for wind and hail.
• Report the damage to your insurer promptly. Policies usually require prompt notice, and waiting can make it harder to tie the damage to a specific storm.
• The insurer sends an adjuster to inspect. You can have your roofer there to point out what was found, but the adjuster makes the coverage call.
• Wear and tear, old leaks and deferred maintenance are generally not covered. That is why dated photos from before and right after a storm matter.
• If a claim is paid, the payment is based on the insurer's estimate. Many roofers, including us, write estimates in Xactimate line items, the same format most adjusters use, which makes it easier to compare the two scopes line by line.

Arizona law adds protections when a roofing contract is tied to a storm claim. Under A.R.S. 32-1158.02, the contract must say you can cancel within 72 hours after your insurer tells you the claim was denied, and within four business days after signing for any reason. The contractor can't advertise, promise or pay your deductible, and can't start the repair until the insurer approves or denies the claim, except for work needed to prevent further damage. Any contractor offering to cover your deductible is breaking state law.

Repair or replace after a monsoon?

Most monsoon damage is a repair. A handful of blown-off tiles, a lifted section of shingles or a failed pipe flashing is a few hours of work. Our repairs generally run from about $300 to $5,000 depending on what's damaged, how much, and how hard the area is to reach.

A replacement starts to make sense when:

• Damage is spread across several slopes rather than one spot.
• The tile is fine but the underlayment under it is brittle and tearing wherever it's disturbed. In that case a tile underlayment replacement, where we lift the tile, install new underlayment and flashing, and relay the same tile, often makes more sense than chasing leaks. It typically costs about $4 to $7 per square foot of roof.
• Shingles are near the end of their life and the storm just exposed it. Patching brittle shingles often breaks the ones around them.
• A flat roof's foam or membrane is saturated, not just the coating worn.

Prices vary with roof size, pitch, access and material. Our roof cost calculator gives a starting range, and a free inspection gives you a written estimate for your actual roof. Financing through Service Finance and GreenSky, including 0% for 24 months, is available for qualified buyers, subject to credit approval.

Avoiding storm-chaser problems

Every busy monsoon brings door knockers who follow storm reports into neighborhoods. Some are legitimate, some aren't licensed in Arizona, and some won't be around when the roof leaks next year. A few simple checks protect you.

• Look up the license. Every roofing contractor in Arizona must be licensed by the Registrar of Contractors. Search the license number on the ROC website and confirm the classification covers roofing and the license is active. Ours is ROC #358508, class CR-42.
• Get it in writing. A written estimate should describe exactly what's being repaired or replaced, where, and how many square feet.
• Know your cancellation rights. A sale made at your home without an invitation can be canceled until midnight of the third business day after signing under Arizona's home solicitation law, and storm-claim contracts carry the extra rights described above.
• Be wary of anyone who wants a large deposit to start, offers to waive your deductible, or pushes you to sign an insurance assignment on the spot.
• Know where to complain. For work on a home, a complaint to the ROC generally has to be filed within two years after the project is completed.

Related

• Roof Repair
• Roof Inspection
• Roof Maintenance Plans
• Roof Insurance Claims
• Monsoon Season Roof Checklist
• How to Spot Hail Damage
• Roofing in Phoenix
• Roofing in Mesa
• Roofing in Scottsdale
• Roofing in Chandler
• Roofing in Tempe
• Roofing in Gilbert