Roof leaks, wind-driven rain and flash floods
Storm Water Damage in Bremen, GA
Wind, hail and heavy rain find the weak spots in a roof, a window or a door. This page covers the water that comes inside Bremen, Waco, Tallapoosa and Temple homes after a storm. Call (678) 839-7986 and point to the spot where water got in.
What it looks like
- A brown stain on a ceiling that appears or spreads after a storm
- Shingles, flashing or a gutter on the ground or hanging at an edge
- Dampness along a window frame or door sill after wind-driven rain
- Damp, flattened insulation or daylight at the roof boards in the attic
- Water on the floor near an outside wall where the ground slopes toward the house
Step out and get help if
- A power line down, hanging low or resting on the roof or a tree: stay far back, call 911, and phone Georgia Power on 1-888-891-0938.
- Water pouring through a light fixture or past the panel: leave the room and call 911 from outside.
- A ceiling weighed down by a soaked attic: clear the rooms beneath it, and call 911 if it cracks.
- A generator running in the garage or house, or a gas smell: get to fresh air, then call 911 or the gas company.
How rain gets past a roof
A roof is a layered skin: shingles on top, underlayment beneath, then the deck of boards, then the attic. Wind lifts shingles at the edges and hail bruises them. Water enters at the weak points, around chimneys, vents and valleys where the layers meet.
From there it runs along the deck and the framing before it shows as a stain. That is why the wet spot on a ceiling rarely sits under the hole. The National Weather Service calls a storm severe when hail reaches an inch across or gusts hit 58 mph. Either can open a seam.
What to know in these four towns
- For hail in north and central Georgia, May is the peak month and April comes next, the National Weather Service says. July is when damaging thunderstorm wind peaks. A storm turns severe once hail grows to an inch or more across, or gusts reach 58 mph or greater.
- Georgia Power asks customers never to approach a downed line. To report one, phone 1-888-891-0938 or 911. Carroll EMC lists its outage line as 770-832-3552, option 1.
- Flash floods usually come within 6 hours of heavy rain, the Weather Service says, and nearly half of flood deaths involve vehicles. Never drive into a flooded road.
When storm water cannot wait for the next dry day
Water keeps coming in with each shower. Insulation overhead is soaked, a ceiling is bulging, or daylight shows through the roof boards from the attic. A second storm in the forecast raises the stakes.
Get out from under the ceiling and call (678) 839-7986. Say where the water entered, which rooms are wet and whether the power is on.
Questions, answered
How do I grade storm water coming inside?
A 2 is one damp window sill. A 5 is a ceiling stain that grew overnight. A 9 or 10 is a line down by the house, water through a light fixture, a bowing ceiling or a generator running indoors. Those go to 911 or the utility. For a 4 or above, call (678) 839-7986.
Is a tarp on the roof a good idea?
Georgia's insurance department says a policy may call for temporary repairs to protect the property, with receipts kept. It also says permanent repairs wait until the damage has been inspected. A wet roof is a dangerous place, so the climb belongs to people with the gear.
What do I photograph for the claim?
FEMA says photos come before cleanup: the outside and the inside of the building, labeled by room. Samples of carpet, flooring and wallpaper can stay with the file if you can keep them. Georgia's insurance department adds receipts for any temporary repair.
Where does roof water go once it gets in?
It follows the framing before it drips. Water can soak attic insulation, run along a joist and stain the ceiling a few feet from the real opening. UGA's checklist lists the attic, the roof shingles and the window frames as places to look.
What do I do when the creek or ditch is up?
Stay out of moving water. The Weather Service says it takes only 6 inches of rushing water to knock an adult down. Twelve inches can carry away most cars. Its motto is turn around, don't drown. Water inside the house can wait until the road is safe.
Does the number cover storm damage in Tallapoosa and Temple?
Yes. Each town page lists its own power and water numbers. Read the Tallapoosa notes or the Temple notes, then call (678) 839-7986.
Storm jobs and what changes their size
No prices appear here. A storm job has a roof side and an inside side. The roof side depends on the opening and the roofing material. The inside side grows with soaked insulation, ceiling drywall and flooring.
Photos of the roof from the ground and of every wet room give a clear first picture, and none of them requires a climb.
Storm repairs and the offices to ask
Roof work and structural repairs after a storm can bring permit questions, and Tallapoosa's building ordinance sets its own threshold. The paperwork page lists each town's office and what the state pages say about contractor credentials.