Do this first
What to do right now
- Treat every downed line as live and call the utility. Do not approach a tree tangled in wires.
- If a chimney or masonry has partly collapsed, keep everyone out of the rooms below and the ground beneath it.
- Shut off gas and electricity to affected areas if you can do so safely, then leave the building if the structure looks compromised.
- Photograph and video everything from the ground before anything is moved or cleaned up.
- Get emergency tarping or shoring arranged, and keep every receipt for mitigation work.
- Report the loss to your insurer and confirm your reporting deadline with them directly.
What Connecticut storms actually do
Coastal and inland storms damage buildings differently. Along the Sound and inland through Bristol, the most common wind damage is not a roof torn off but shingles lifted and reseated, the self-seal strip breaks, the shingle lies back down, and it looks fine from the driveway while it is no longer wind-rated or watertight. Creases across shingle tabs, missing tabs at the rakes and ridges, and a scatter of granules in the gutter are the tells. Nor'easters drive rain sideways into wall and chimney flashing that handles vertical rain perfectly well. Tropical remnants bring saturated soil plus wind, which is what puts mature trees over onto roofs.
Masonry damage after a storm is easy to overlook. A chimney that has been pushed can look plumb from the ground while its top courses have shifted and the crown has cracked. Loose or displaced brick, a stack that no longer lines up with its shadow, and fresh mortar dust at the base all warrant a closer look. Falling masonry is a serious hazard, so keep people away from the base until it has been inspected.
Documenting the claim
Photograph before you clean up, keep damaged materials rather than throwing them out, note the date and time of the storm, and keep every mitigation invoice. Your policy almost certainly requires you to prevent further damage, and that spending is often reimbursable, but confirm with your insurer, not with a contractor.
A word on storm chasers
After any significant Connecticut storm, out-of-state crews appear in neighbourhoods offering free inspections and pressure to sign on the spot. Contractors performing home improvement work on Connecticut homes are generally required to hold a Home Improvement Contractor registration with the state Department of Consumer Protection, and you can verify a registration yourself before signing. Connecticut also requires certain home improvement contracts to be in writing with specific terms, and provides a Home Improvement Guaranty Fund for homeowners in certain circumstances, check DCP for current requirements and eligibility. Do not sign a document that assigns your insurance benefits to a contractor without reading it carefully, and never pay in full up front.
