How storms damage Perth roofs
Perth does not get cyclones, but it does get weather that tests roofs hard. Most of our rain arrives between May and September, often with cold fronts that bring strong north-westerly winds followed by a swing to the south-west. Summer brings the occasional thunderstorm with heavy rain, lightning and hail, and the Perth Hills can cop gusty conditions that suburbs closer to the coast miss.
The damage usually falls into a few patterns:
- Wind uplift. Gusts get under tiles, ridge capping and steel sheets at the roof edges and lift them. Loose fixings make this much more likely.
- Wind-driven rain. Rain pushed sideways finds its way under tiles and flashings that cope well with normal rain.
- Hail. Cracks tiles, dents steel, gutters and downpipes, and breaks skylights and polycarbonate.
- Falling branches. Trees overhanging the roof drop limbs that crack tiles, puncture sheets and crush gutters.
- Overflow. Gutters, valleys and box gutters choked with leaves overflow into eaves and roof spaces.
Older roofs fail first. Pointing that has cracked, tiles that have gone brittle or steel that has rusted around fixings give a storm somewhere to start.
During the storm
Your only job while the weather is still active is to stay safe.
- Keep away from windows on the exposed side of the house.
- If water is coming through a ceiling near a light or power point, switch off that circuit at the switchboard if it is safe to reach.
- Put buckets and towels under drips and move valuables and electronics.
- If a ceiling is bulging with water, keep everyone out of that room.
- If anyone is in danger, call 000. For urgent storm help, the SES is on 132 500.
Do not go outside to check the roof until the wind has dropped.
The first 24 hours
Once the storm has passed, focus on preventing further damage and recording what happened.
Look, but stay on the ground
Walk around the house and look up. Check for missing or displaced tiles, lifted sheets, bent gutters, broken ridge capping and fallen branches. Look for debris in the yard, as pieces of tile or flashing tell you where the damage is.
Inside, check ceilings, cornices and walls for new stains. If you can safely get into the roof space with a torch, look for wet insulation and daylight where there was none before.
Photograph everything
Insurers want evidence. Take photos and short videos of:
- the roof from several angles
- debris on the ground and in gutters
- water stains, wet floors and damaged belongings inside
- any trees or branches that fell
Date-stamped images taken before any clean-up are the most useful. Keep damaged items until your insurer says you can throw them away.
Make it watertight
A roofer can fit a temporary cover or refix loose tiles and sheets to stop more water getting in. Keep receipts, as emergency make-safe work is often part of a claim. Ask the roofer to photograph what they found before they cover it.
The following week
Contact your insurer
Report the damage as soon as practical. Ask:
- whether they will send an assessor, and whether you should wait before permanent repairs
- what evidence they need from the roofer
- whether temporary make-safe costs are covered
Most policies cover sudden storm damage but exclude gradual wear, rust and lack of maintenance. That distinction matters a lot for roofs.
Get a proper roof report
Ask your roofer for a written report that includes photos, describes the storm damage, and separately notes any existing wear. A clear report helps your insurer process the claim and helps you decide what to do next. Our guide to what happens during a roof inspection explains what a thorough inspection covers.
Check the contractor
After big storms, door-knockers sometimes appear offering quick repairs. Be cautious about anyone who asks for large upfront payments or pressures you to sign on the spot. We ask the contractors we work with to hold the registrations and insurance the job needs. Ask to see them before work starts. Consumer Protection WA has guidance on your rights with home building contracts. Our guide on how to choose the right roofing contractor in Perth has a checklist.
Things on the roof that get missed
Storm inspections tend to focus on tiles and sheets, but the extras fixed to a roof are often where water gets in afterwards. Ask your roofer to check:
- Solar panel mounts. Wind loads on panels pull on their brackets, which can crack tiles or loosen the seal around fixings on steel. Any work on the panels themselves needs a qualified solar installer or electrician.
- Whirlybirds and vents. Strong gusts can bend whirlybirds or lift their flashings, leaving a gap that leaks with every shower.
- Skylights and polycarbonate. Hail can crack these in ways that are hard to see from the ground.
- TV antennas and satellite dishes. A bent mast can tear the flashing or tiles it is fixed through.
- Evaporative cooler units and ducting. These are heavy, exposed and often sealed with flashings that have dried out over many summers.
Damage around these items is easy to overlook at first and tends to show up as a slow leak weeks later. Include them in your photos and in the roofer's report so they are part of any insurance claim from the start.
Repair or replace after a storm?
| Damage found | Typical response |
|---|---|
| A few broken or displaced tiles | Replace and re-bed or refix |
| Loose ridge capping | Re-bed and re-point |
| Lifted or dented steel sheets | Refix or replace affected sheets |
| Damaged flashings or valleys | Replace and reseal |
| Widespread damage on an already worn roof | Consider full replacement |
| Hail damage to brittle tiles across the roof | Often replacement, as repairs cause more breakage |
Most storm damage is a job for roof repairs. Replacement makes sense when the damage is extensive, when matching tiles are no longer available, or when the storm has simply exposed a roof that was already near the end. If that is your situation, read roof replacement vs repair.
If your roof has asbestos cement sheeting and it has been broken by hail or branches, keep people away from the debris and get specialist advice. WorkSafe WA sets the rules for asbestos removal.
On cost, storm repairs vary too much to quote generally, and your insurance may cover some or all of it. If replacement is likely, our roof replacement cost guide explains what affects the price.
Before next winter
A roof in good condition handles storms far better. Before May each year:
- clean gutters, valleys and box gutter outlets
- have loose tiles, cracked pointing and lifted flashings fixed
- check that steel sheets are screwed down firmly, especially along edges and ridges
- trim branches overhanging the roof
- make sure downpipes are clear all the way to the drain
If you are replacing the roof anyway, ask about fixing patterns suited to your wind exposure and consider COLORBOND steel, which is lighter and fixed in long sheets.
Get the damage assessed
If a storm has hit your roof, a quick, thorough assessment limits the damage and supports your claim. Request a free on-site quote through our contact page and a local roofer will inspect the roof, photograph the damage and explain your options.