Protecting Your Roof from Storm Damage

New York storms don’t ask for permission. They tear through Brooklyn brownstones, Queens capes, and Staten Island colonials alike. Between summer cloudbursts and winter nor’easters, your roof is the first line of defense. A few proactive steps today can save you thousands in emergency tarping, interior repairs, and mold remediation tomorrow.

Start with a Free, Professional Inspection

Most leaks start small: loose step flashing, a cracked pipe boot, or a single missing shingle. Our licensed technicians use drone imagery and infrared scans to spot weaknesses while they’re still cheap to fix. Schedule the inspection in early spring and late fall so you’re ahead of both hurricane season and freeze-thaw cycles.

Clean & Secure the Perimeter

Clogged gutters back water up under drip edges and into fascia boards. After every major leaf drop, remove debris and flush downspouts. While you’re up there, tighten gutter straps; ¼-inch lag screws hold better than the original spikes. If your building has parapet walls, make sure scuppers are clear and the gravel stop is sealed, ponding water on a flat roof is a NYC building-code violation and an invitation to membrane rot.

Trim the “Widow-Makers”

Branches that overhang within 10 feet of the roof act like whips in 60 mph winds. Hire an ISA-certified arborist (required by the city for trees over 6″ DBH) to remove dead limbs and thin the canopy. You’ll reduce impact damage and the squirrel highway that ends in chewed ridge vents.

Upgrade to Impact-Rated Materials

If you’re already considering full roof replacement, choose Class 4 impact-resistant shingles or a modified-bitumen cap sheet with a UL 2218 rating. Many carriers give insurance discounts (up to 25 %) for documented impact ratings, ask us which products qualify.

Know Your Emergency Plan

Even the best roofs can lose a section of coping in a microburst. Store our 24/7 hotline (929) 720-4223 in your phone. We carry 40-mil reinforced poly sheeting, 2x4s, and cordless screw guns on every truck so we can temporarily waterproof any roof type before more rain hits.

Bottom line: Storms are inevitable; storm damage isn’t. Let Roof ON NYC family crew give your home the same armor we install on schools and condo boards across the five boroughs. Call or text today for a no-cost, no-pressure inspection, because the only thing that should be raining down on you is pizza from the corner slice shop.