Emergency roof repair: what to do when a tree hits your roof

A tree coming down on a Lakewood roof usually happens in the same weather that makes the damage worse: high wind, saturated soil, and rain that keeps falling after the tree lands. The first job is not the roof. It is making sure nobody is under it, nobody climbs on it, and no more water gets in. This guide walks through the first hour, what your insurer will want to see, what emergency work typically involves, and the mistakes that turn a bad afternoon into a much bigger repair.

The first 60 minutes after a tree hits your roof

Start with people, not property. If anyone was in the room below the impact, get them out and stay out until the structure has been checked. A tree limb can crack rafters and decking you cannot see from below, and a ceiling that looks intact can still be carrying load it was never meant to hold.

From the ground, look for the signs that mean the house needs a professional before anyone goes back inside that room: a sagging ceiling, cracked drywall, a door that suddenly will not close, or water running down an interior wall. If you see any of those, or if the tree is still moving, call your insurer and a roofer from outside the house. Do not go into the attic to look at the damage, and do not climb onto the roof. A wet, tree-damaged roof is unstable, and the limb can shift under your weight.

While you wait, do the small things that protect the claim and the house: take dated photos from the ground of the tree, the roofline, and any interior water; note the time and the weather; and move valuables away from the leak path. If water is coming in, put a bucket under it and, if you can do it safely from inside, lay plastic sheeting over furniture. Do not start cutting the tree yourself. Tree removal from a roof is arborist work, and your insurer will want the tree documented in place before it is moved.

What to do when a tree hits your roof in Lakewood

Once everyone is safe, work through the steps in order. First, call your insurer and open a claim. Tell them a tree struck the roof, describe the visible damage, and ask what documentation they need. Second, call a roofer. In Lakewood, a tree strike almost always needs a permit before the torn-off section is rebuilt: the City requires a permit before tear-off on any re-roof or repair of 100 square feet or more, and a tree strike usually clears that threshold. A roofer who works in Lakewood will know the eTRAKiT permit process and the City’s tear-off-to-deck, one-layer-only rule under the 2021 building code.

1. Document from the ground. Photos of the tree, the impact area, gutters, and any interior water. Keep the photos dated.
2. Keep water out. A tarp over the opening, secured at the ridge and eaves, is the standard temporary fix. It is a stopgap, not a repair.
3. Let the arborist move the tree. Cutting a limb that is resting on decking can drop it through the roof. That is the arborist’s call, not a homeowner’s.
4. Get the roof inspected before the claim is settled. A roofer’s written scope, with photos, is what the adjuster works from.
5. Check the rest of the house. A tree strike can crack gutters, dent vents, and break skylight glazing on the far side of the impact. Walk the whole property.

Lakewood’s housing stock makes the inspection step matter more here than in a new subdivision. The median Lakewood home was built in 1977, and 1960–79 construction is 40.2% of the city’s housing (U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year). A tree strike on a 1970s deck often reveals older decking, prior overlays, and ventilation that predates modern practice — all of which the repair scope has to account for.

Does insurance cover tree damage to your roof in Lakewood?

Most Colorado homeowner policies cover sudden tree damage to a roof, minus your deductible, when the tree fell because of a storm or another covered cause. The details are in your policy: what caused the fall matters, and so does whether the tree was dead or visibly decayed before the storm. A roofer cannot decide coverage for you, and no roofer can promise a claim will be approved.

What you can control is the record. Photograph the tree before it is moved, keep the claim number and the adjuster’s name, and get a written scope from your roofer before the adjuster’s visit if you can. Your roofer may be present when the adjuster walks the roof — that is normal, and it helps, because the adjuster is looking at the same damage the roofer documented. Under Colorado law (SB 12-038, 2012), a roofer may not act as a public adjuster or negotiate your claim for you, and may not pay, waive, or rebate any part of your deductible. Read the full process in our guide to filing a storm damage roof insurance claim in Lakewood.

Tree removal itself is often covered only up to a policy limit, and sometimes only when the tree damaged a covered structure. Ask your insurer directly rather than assuming the removal is included.

How much does emergency roof repair cost in Lakewood?

Emergency work is priced by what it takes to stop the water, not by the final repair. Published Denver-metro market ranges (October–November 2026) put emergency tarping at roughly $200–$500 and an emergency leak repair at roughly $300–$1,500. Those are market ranges, not Roof Authority LLC prices, and the final repair — new decking, shingles, and flashing — is priced separately once the roof can be measured. For the full picture, see our Lakewood roof replacement cost guide, which explains how re-roofs are priced by measured roof area in squares, not living area.

The size of the final bill depends on the same things that drive any Lakewood re-roof: how much decking is damaged, how many layers have to come off (Lakewood allows one layer only, so an old overlay comes off too), the pitch, and whether gutters or vents were damaged in the same strike. A written scope that lists each of those items is what you want before anyone starts tearing off.

Common mistakes homeowners make after a tree strike

• Climbing onto the roof. Wet decking under a tree limb is unstable, and the limb can shift. Stay off it.
• Cutting the tree off the roof yourself. A limb under tension can drop through the decking when it is cut. Let an arborist decide how it comes off.
• Removing the tree before documenting it. Your insurer needs photos of the tree in place. Once it is gone, that evidence is gone.
• Tarping from the inside. A tarp belongs on the outside, over the ridge, so water runs off it. Plastic stapled to the attic side traps water in the deck.
• Signing a contract before the scope is written. Under SB 12-038 you have a 72-hour right to cancel a roofing contract. Use that time to read the scope, not to rush it.
• Assuming the rest of the roof is fine. A tree strike shakes the whole slope. Get the full roof inspected, not just the hole.

When to call a professional

Call a roofer right away if a tree is on your roof, if water is coming in, or if you see a sagging ceiling or cracked drywall under the impact. Those are not wait-until-Monday problems. Call your insurer promptly, and keep the claim number with the roofer’s scope so the adjuster’s visit and the repair plan line up.

Roof Authority LLC works on residential roofs across Lakewood, including Green Mountain and Eiber, where mature trees and older 1960s–70s roofs meet Front Range wind. If a tree has hit your roof, call (720) 817-3348. We will talk through what to do next, inspect the roof once it is safe to do so, and give you a written scope you can hand to your adjuster. For the repair itself, see our emergency roof repair and storm damage roof repair pages.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do first when a tree hits my roof in Lakewood?

Get everyone out of the room below the impact and stay off the roof. Photograph the tree and the damage from the ground, call your insurer to open a claim, then call a roofer. Do not cut the tree off the roof yourself.

Does insurance cover tree damage to a roof in Colorado?

Most Colorado homeowner policies cover sudden tree damage to a roof, minus your deductible, when the tree fell because of a covered cause such as a storm. Coverage for tree removal itself is often limited, so ask your insurer what is included.

How much does emergency roof tarping cost in Lakewood?

Published Denver-metro market ranges from October and November 2026 put emergency tarping at roughly $200-$500 and an emergency leak repair at roughly $300-$1,500. Those are market ranges, not a quote from Roof Authority LLC.

Do I need a permit to repair a tree-damaged roof in Lakewood?

Yes, in most cases. Lakewood requires a permit before tear-off on any re-roof or repair of 100 square feet or more, filed through the City eTRAKiT system. A tree strike usually clears that threshold.

Can a roofer handle my insurance claim for a tree strike?

A roofer can document the damage, write the scope, and be present when the adjuster visits. Under Colorado law (SB 12-038, 2012), a roofer may not act as a public adjuster, negotiate your claim, or pay any part of your deductible.

Get help with roofing in Lakewood

If a tree has hit your roof, do not wait for the next rain to find out how bad it is. Call (720) 817-3348 and we will talk through the first steps, inspect the roof once it is safe, and give you a written scope for your insurer.

Roof Authority LLC is based at 200 Union Blvd, Lakewood, CO 80228, and works Monday to Saturday, 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Phone is the way to reach us.