How to Prepare Your Roof for El Niño: A Homeowner’s Checklist for Los Angeles
This is how we tell Los Angeles homeowners to prepare your roof for El Niño. Forecasters expect a very strong El Niño this winter (NOAA Climate Prediction Center), and that usually means more rain and heavier storms than a Southern California roof sees in a normal year.
Most roofs we are called to in the first big storm were not fine one day and broken the next. A pipe boot had been cracking for a while, a flashing had pulled loose, or a valley had filled with leaves over the dry months. Rain finds those spots first. The good news is that most of them are small, and they are far easier to fix before the storms than during one.
Why El Niño Is Hard on Roofs
A Los Angeles roof spends most of the year dry and in the sun. Sun and heat age shingles, dry out sealants and wear on the underlayment beneath tile. None of that shows until water arrives, and an El Niño winter brings a lot of it at once.
These are the weak spots we find most often when the first heavy rain comes:
- Flashing at chimneys, walls and skylights that has lifted or cracked.
- Pipe boots and vents whose rubber collars have split in the sun.
- Valleys packed with leaves, so water backs up under the roofing instead of running off.
- Missing, lifted or broken shingles and tiles, often after a windy stretch.
- Worn underlayment under a tile roof, which can leak while every tile still looks fine.
- Flat roof drains and scuppers blocked with debris, so water ponds instead of draining.
Before the Storms: Your Roof Prep Checklist
You can do most of this from the ground, from a window or from inside the house. Please stay off the roof itself: wet or dusty roofing is slippery, and tile and slate crack underfoot.
- Walk around the house and look at the roof from the ground for missing, lifted or broken shingles and tiles.
- Look at the ceilings and around skylights for stains, bubbling paint or soft spots.
- If you can get into the attic safely, look for damp insulation, water stains or daylight coming through.
- Have the gutters and downspouts cleared so water can leave the roof.
- Trim branches that hang over the roof or rub against it.
- On a flat roof or patio cover, make sure drains and scuppers aren’t blocked (from a safe spot, not by walking the roof).
- Take photos of anything you notice, with the date, so you have a record before the storms.
- Book a roofer-led roof evaluation before the first big storm.
What We Check on a Roof Readiness Inspection
Our roof evaluation for homes is free. A field inspector, lead roofer or estimator on our own team looks at the roof, with RoofScan 360® drone footage of the areas of concern, and photographs what they find. On a pre-storm visit we pay the most attention to the places water gets in first:
- Flashing at chimneys, walls, skylights and roof edges
- Pipe boots, vents and anything else that comes through the roof
- Valleys and the places where two roof slopes meet
- Shingles and tiles that are missing, lifted, cracked or slipped
- Signs that the underlayment under a tile roof is wearing out
- Drains, scuppers, seams and low spots on flat roofs
You get the photos and a plain-English explanation of what we found, with one clear next step: repair, monitor, maintain or replace. If anything needs work, you get a written scope and price before any work starts. You can book a free roof evaluation at the bottom of this page.
During a Storm: If Water Gets In
- Stay off the roof. Don’t climb up in the rain or wind, and stay away from water near light fixtures and outlets.
- Protect your belongings. Move furniture, rugs and electronics away from the leak and set out buckets and towels.
- Take photos of the ceiling, the water and anything that was damaged.
- Call us. Our field techs take emergency calls on weekdays and weekends outside regular office hours.
A roofer assesses and photographs the damage and, when the permanent repair has to wait, puts a tarp or other temporary protection in place to limit further water damage. Then the permanent repair, priced in writing first. Our guide on how to stop a roof leak safely until a roofer arrives covers the first hour in more detail, and our emergency roof repair page explains how we handle the call.
After the Storm
Once the rain stops, look again from the ground for missing pieces, branches or debris on the roof, and keep an eye on the ceilings for a few days: a stain can show up well after the water got in. Clear the gutters again if the storm filled them.
If the storm damaged the roof, the photos you took and our photos and written scope can be shared with your insurance company. Our guide on how to file a roof insurance claim in California walks through each step.
Repair, Maintain or Replace?
Most of what we find before an El Niño winter is a roof repair: a flashing resealed, a pipe boot replaced, a few tiles reset. A short list of small issues is what a RoofRevive® roof tune-up is for. When a roof is near the end of its life, the photos show why, and our roof replacement guide explains what comes next. For a full replacement on a home, roof financing through Momnt Financing or Service Financing is available, subject to credit approval.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I prepare my roof for El Niño?
Before the first big storm. Once the rain starts, everyone calls at once and repairs have to wait for dry weather. A roof evaluation in the fall gives you time to fix small things first.
Is the roof evaluation free?
Yes, for homes. A roofer on our team looks at the roof, with drone footage of the areas of concern, and gives you photos, a plain-English explanation and a written scope and price for anything that needs work.
Should I tarp my own roof before the storms?
We advise against it. A tarp is a stopgap for damage that’s already there, and climbing on a roof is how many homeowners get hurt. If something needs covering, a roofer can do it safely.
Does a tile roof need preparing for El Niño?
Yes. Tiles often outlast the underlayment beneath them, so a tile roof can leak in heavy rain while every tile looks fine. We check for broken and slipped tiles and for signs that the underlayment is wearing out.
What should I do if my roof leaks during El Niño?
Stay off the roof, move your belongings away from the leak, take photos and call us. Our field techs take emergency calls on weekdays and weekends outside regular office hours, and a roofer can put a tarp in place when it’s needed.
Get Your Roof Ready Before the First Big Storm
An El Niño winter is a test every roof takes at once. Book a free roof evaluation and know where your roof stands, with photos and a written price for anything it needs, before the rain does the inspecting for you.
