Storm Blew Tiles Off Your Roof? Start Here.

If roof tiles blew off in a Florida storm, your first job is safety. Stay off the roof, photograph the damage, and limit water getting inside until someone can inspect it.

Missing tiles can look like a small problem. But the layers under them are now open to rain. Here is what to do, in order, whether you live in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Kendall, Boca Raton, Naples, or Fort Myers.

Stay Off the Roof and Keep Everyone Safe

Stay off the roof until the wind has died down and the tiles are dry. Wet tile is slick, and cracked or loose tiles can slip under your feet.

Use ground-level views instead. Stand back and use binoculars or your phone’s zoom to spot gaps, shifted rows, and bare areas.

Walk the yard carefully. Broken tile fragments can cut hands and feet. Keep children and pets inside or well away from the debris.

If a tile, gutter, or piece of trim hangs loose, don’t pull it down. Stay clear of the area beneath any roof edge that looks ready to drop more material.

Treat any downed power line as live. Keep your distance and keep others away from it.

Document the Damage Before Anything Is Moved

Photograph everything before you clean up, move tiles, or make repairs. Clear, dated photos are the easiest proof to keep.

Take several shots of the roof from different angles. Add close-ups of bare spots and the tiles on the ground. Next, photograph the exterior walls, gutters, screens, and fencing near the house, since storm damage often shows up in more than one place.

Then go inside. Photograph ceilings, wall corners, and light fixtures for stains, drips, or bulging drywall.

Write down the storm date and the day you first noticed the loss. Florida law sets a clock on property insurance claims. Under Fla. Stat. § 627.70132, a claim is barred unless notice reaches the insurer under the policy terms within 1 year after the date of loss. A supplemental claim for more damage from the same peril has an 18-month limit. For hurricane claims, the date of loss is the date the hurricane made landfall. For tornadoes, windstorms, severe rain, or other weather-related events, it is the date the event is verified by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Limit Water Entry Until a Repair Is Made

Protecting the inside of your home right away keeps damage from spreading. Move furniture, electronics, rugs, and valuables away from any ceiling that shows staining or drips.

Place buckets under active drips, and empty them often so they don’t overflow. If you can safely reach the exposed area from the attic or the ground, a temporary covering can reduce further water entry until repairs are scheduled. Secure the covering so wind can’t lift it. Never climb onto the roof to install it.

Check the attic after every rain. Look for wet insulation, dark or soft wood, and water trails along the rafters. Water often travels along the framing, so a wet spot can appear well away from the gap. Photograph what you find and note the date.

Why a Few Missing Tiles Can Mean More Roof Damage

Tiles shield the underlayment beneath them. Underlayment is the water-resistant layer under the tile. When a tile is gone, rain and wind-driven water can reach that layer.

Florida law addresses secondary water barriers for roofs. Under Fla. Stat. § 553.844, the criteria may include roof shape, slope, and the makeup of all roof-system elements. They may not be limited to one method or material.

Damage often shows up beside the gap. Neighboring tiles may be chipped, battens may be cracked, and ridge or hip caps may be displaced. Water can also run along the roof deck and appear away from the opening, so a ceiling stain may not sit directly under the missing tile.

Replacing a few tiles and repairing a broader damaged section are different jobs. The difference comes down to the condition of the underlayment, the roof deck, and the fasteners. An inspection is the only way to confirm those.

When to Call for an Inspection and Repair Estimate

Call for an inspection soon after the storm. Call sooner if you see exposed underlayment, water inside the home, or many loose tiles. Waiting gives water more time to work on the structure below.

Ask for a written scope. It should list which tiles will be replaced, which fasteners and underlayment will be checked, and how the roof will be protected until the work is done.

Under Fla. Stat. § 489.147, a residential roof replacement or repair contract must include a bold notice of at least 14 points on the signature page, stating that if the proposed work is related to an insurance claim, the owner should contact the insurance company to verify coverage, including claims, deductibles, and policy terms, before signing.

Fla. Stat. § 627.7011 requires that, before a home insurance policy is issued, the carrier must present each of the coverages it lists, including a policy or endorsement that adjusts dwelling losses on the basis of replacement cost rather than actual cash value. The first is a policy or endorsement adjusting a repaired or replaced loss on the basis of replacement costs to the dwelling, not exceeding policy limits, rather than actual cash value, but without the costs of meeting applicable laws and ordinances. The second is a replacement-cost policy or endorsement that also includes those law-and-ordinance costs. Those added costs may be limited to 25 percent or 50 percent of the dwelling limit, as selected by the policyholder. That coverage applies only to repairs of the damaged portion of the structure unless the total damage to the structure exceeds 50 percent of the replacement cost of the structure. The insurer is not required to make these offers when issuing or renewing a policy that already contains the second option with law-and-ordinance coverage limited to 25 percent of the dwelling limit, except that it must still offer law-and-ordinance coverage limited to 50 percent of the dwelling limit. The insurer then pays any remaining amounts necessary to perform those repairs as work is performed and expenses are incurred. If a roof deductible applies, the insurer may limit the roof payment to the actual cash value of the loss to the roof until it receives reasonable proof you paid that deductible.

Keep receipts, photos, and inspection notes together in one place.

Quick Answers

Should I climb up to check tiles after a storm? No. Wait until the wind eases and the tiles are dry, then check from the ground.

If tiles blew off your roof and you’re weighing a few repairs against more work, book a free estimate with our team. Our free first consultation is confidential and carries no obligation to continue.