Types of Storm Damage We Restore in Onalaska, WI
Storm damage rarely presents as a single isolated problem. Major weather events cause multiple, simultaneous damage types that interact with each other in ways that worsen the overall impact and complicate restoration. Understanding the full picture from the first assessment is essential to an effective restoration strategy.
Horizontal rain penetrating window seals, roof edges, and exterior wall breaches, saturating interior wall assemblies and attic spaces.
Lost shingles, punctures, or displaced flashing allowing rainwater direct entry into attic and ceiling spaces.
Groundwater and surface runoff entering basements and lower floors from overwhelming municipal drainage or direct surface flow.
Hail damage to roofing, siding, and windows that creates water entry points not visible until interior damage appears days later.
Structural breaches from fallen trees or debris that create immediate weather exposure requiring emergency boarding before restoration begins.
Overwhelmed municipal systems reversing into floor drains and fixtures during heavy rainfall, creating biohazard contamination.
Storm damage claims are among the most complex insurance situations homeowners and businesses face. Multiple simultaneous damage types, disputes over coverage categories, and the complexity of proving wind versus water damage origin all require thorough, professional documentation from the first response visit onward.
Our Storm Damage Restoration Process
Our first priority is stopping ongoing weather exposure. Missing roof sections, broken windows, and structural breaches are boarded, tarped, or temporarily sealed within hours of our arrival. No restoration can succeed if the structure continues to receive additional weather intrusion while work is underway.
A full assessment of every affected area is conducted and documented with photographs, moisture readings, and written descriptions. For insurance purposes, we carefully distinguish between damage attributable to wind, rain, flooding, and impact, as these may be covered under different policy provisions with different deductibles.
All storm water is extracted using industrial equipment and structural drying begins immediately with commercial dehumidifiers and air movers. Storm flooding from groundwater sources is treated as Category 3 contamination, requiring full biohazard protocols including antimicrobial treatment of all affected surfaces.
Storm debris including fallen branches, displaced roofing, and shattered glass is removed. A structural assessment determines whether any framing, load-bearing walls, or roof trusses sustained damage requiring engineering evaluation before reconstruction can proceed.
Storm Damage Restoration FAQs
Standard homeowner's insurance policies generally cover storm damage from wind, hail, lightning, and similar weather events as named perils. However, damage from flooding that enters from the ground up (rather than through a roof or wall breach) is typically excluded from standard policies and requires separate flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program or a private flood insurer. The exact coverage for your specific storm event depends on your policy language, the cause of the damage, and in some cases the distinction between wind-driven rain entry and flood entry. Our documentation is structured to clearly identify each damage type and its cause, which is essential for navigating coverage determinations with your adjuster. We recommend contacting your insurer immediately after the storm while we begin emergency stabilization and assessment work.
The most valuable action you can take while waiting for our team is to protect undamaged areas from further exposure. If it is safe to do so, place buckets under active drips, move furniture and valuables away from wet areas, and put plastic sheeting or towels along the edges of wet zones to prevent water migration into dry rooms. Do not use electric fans or heaters near wet areas as they can create electrical hazards. Avoid entering your basement if there is any standing water combined with the possibility of electrical contact. Do not attempt to remove standing water using electrical appliances or extension cords. If a roof breach is accessible from inside and you have plastic sheeting available, placing it over the opening from inside the attic can reduce rainfall entry. Document the damage with your phone camera if you can do so safely, as this pre-arrival documentation is valuable for your insurance claim.
Whether storm-damaged hardwood floors can be saved depends primarily on how long they were exposed to moisture before drying began and the degree of cupping or buckling that has occurred. Hardwood floors that have been wet for a short time and show only mild cupping can often be successfully dried in place using specialized drying systems including hardwood floor mats and negative pressure drying systems that push dry air through the flooring from below. Floors that have been wet for extended periods, that show severe cupping, buckling, or warping, or that have visible gaps from expansion beyond their design limits may need to be replaced. Our assessment will tell you clearly which outcome is most likely for your specific floors. We never make drying guarantees on hardwood before seeing the actual condition, but we can give you an honest prognosis based on years of experience restoring storm-damaged hardwood in Onalaska, WI properties.