Storm Damage Roof Repair in Baker, LA
When wind or a falling limb opens a Baker roof, Epic Roofing photographs the damage, prices the fix, and makes the repair with its own crew.
Just before 7 a.m. on December 10, 2012, an EF-1 tornado crossed Baker from southwest to east-northeast. Along its path, the damage ran from scattered trees to a few homes with major roof damage. Epic Roofing's storm damage roof repair deals with what wind does to a house roof, from a missing run of shingles to a deck broken by a falling limb, and each job starts with a free inspection and a written, priced scope.
Nine Minutes Across Baker in December 2012
The tornado touched down at 6:48 a.m. on Highway 61 near the barge canal, southwest of Baker, where it caused moderate damage to a house's roof and minor damage to a convenience store. It tracked east-northeast across New Rafe Meyer Road into the Lincoln Heights subdivision, just outside the city near Alsen, which took the worst of it: softwood trees snapped, a few homes had moderate to major roof damage, and a travel trailer rolled 25 to 30 yards. It then crossed LA 19, tearing into the roof of a car wash, and lifted near Plank Road and Dyer Road at 6:57 a.m., about 5.4 miles from its start. At its widest, the path was about 100 yards across. That day, Baker's fire department reported 150 properties damaged by the storm.
Hail has come with Baker storms as well: in May 2008, golf-ball-size stones were reported near the junction of US 61 and LA 19.
From the Storm Call to a Dry, Finished Roof
Clear the hazards first:
Power lines on or against the house are the utility's to make safe, and a tree resting on the roof must be lifted off before any roof work starts. If water is coming in, tell us when you call during business hours, and a temporary cover, quoted separately, can go on once the roof is safe to stand on.
A free inspection of every face:
A drone photographs each slope, we check the attic for daylight and wet sheathing, and infrared imaging looks for moisture held under the shingles. You keep the CompanyCam photo report even if someone else does the repair.
A priced scope, and your decision:
A line-itemized scope reaches you in 2–5 business days. We ask for no deposit at the consultation. Paying out of pocket or opening a claim is your choice. If you ask us to, one of our roofers joins the adjuster's visit in the contractor's role and points out what each photo shows.
The repair, by Epic roofers only:
The scope you approved already states how long our workmanship warranty on the repair runs, a shorter term than a full reroof carries. No subcontractors are used: our roofers cover the flower beds, make the repair, sweep the lawn with a magnet to pick up nails, and add the final photos to your CompanyCam report.
What We Repair When Wind Reaches a Baker Roof
We sort storm repairs by what you are likely to notice first:
Shingles in the yard:
New shingles and ridge cap come from the line your roof already carries, or the closest match still available, and are sealed as the manufacturer specifies.
A limb on the roof:
After the tree service lifts it off, the cracked sheathing comes out in a clean rectangle, new plywood goes in with its seams sealed, and underlayment and shingles are rebuilt on top.
Metal knocked out of place:
Valley metal and the flashing along chimneys and sidewalls get refastened or renewed, and so do vents at the ridge, soffit, or attic that the gusts pried loose.
A stain after the next rain:
Water that slipped under a missing shingle can soak the underlayment and the deck before anything shows indoors. We replace both where the moisture readings call for it.
A ridge line or eave that sags:
That points to cracked or shifted rafters or trusses. A Louisiana-licensed structural engineer assesses them, and the roof work is booked once the framing repair is finished.
Storm Repair in Baker: Five Questions
The 2012 tornado was rated EF-1. Does that rating say how badly a given roof on its path was hit?
Only in broad terms. A rating reflects the worst damage the survey found along the whole track. For this storm, that meant major roof damage on a few Lincoln Heights homes, while other stretches of the path had sporadic tree damage and minor roof damage to a few houses. The photos of your own roof are what set your repair.
Does a storm inspection look for hail damage too?
Hail and wind often arrive in the same storm, and the inspection records both. Hail leaves bruises and dents rather than torn or lifted tabs, so it gets its own notes in the report. Bruised shingles found that way are then sorted by the tests we use for hail damage roof repair.
Will the City of Baker need to approve a storm repair?
Building permits inside the city are issued by the City of Baker Inspections Department. Whether a particular repair needs one depends on its scope, and the department makes that call. If the city requires one for your repair, our office files it before the crew starts.
We nailed down a tarp ourselves after the storm. Does that cause a problem?
Not usually. Tell us where it is when you call. We photograph the tarp before it comes off, then check the shingles and decking under it, since water can sit beneath a cover for weeks. The fastener holes it left are sealed or the shingles replaced as part of the repair.
Is a visit to Baker worth booking for only a few missing shingles?
Yes. Each gap leaves underlayment open to the next rain, and replacing a few shingles falls in our single-area price band. We book Baker storm visits by appointment, so call during business hours, and we will set a day.
Pricing a Baker Storm Repair
Most Baker storm repairs land in one of two bands. A limb strike that needs new sheathing, or shingle loss across more than one slope, costs $2,000 to $5,000, while a single damaged area, such as a handful of creased tabs along one eave, costs $400 to $1,800.
Where the storm left major damage across most of the roof, the estimate prices a full roof replacement in Baker instead: $13,000 to $23,000 for a 2,000 to 2,500 square foot house. Age, wear, and slow leaks get the same crew and the same price bands under roof repair in Baker.
Send Us the Storm Date and Your Baker Address
Call 225-396-8122 with the date of the storm, your street address, and whether anything is leaking indoors. If something is leaking indoors, we can put a temporary cover over it first, and the permanent Baker roofing repair is priced after the inspection.
137 Girod Street, Suite 3, Mandeville, LA 70448