Services
Document a loss
Support a claim
For carriers and employers
Service areas
Middle Tennessee
- Nashville
- Clarksville
- Murfreesboro
- Franklin
- Hendersonville
- Smyrna
- Spring Hill
- Gallatin
- Lebanon
- Columbia
- Brentwood
- Mount Juliet
- La Vergne
- Cookeville
East Tennessee
West Tennessee
Roof Damage Documentation Ahead of Tarping and Repair
A roof claim is argued over a surface most parties never see firsthand. Delator Claims Division gives carriers, adjusters, attorneys, owners and property managers a neutral record of the roof and the interior beneath it, made from safe vantage points.
- Coverage
- 95 of 95 counties
- Dispatch
- 24 / 7 / 365
- Metro response
- Under 60 min avg.
- Statewide
- 4-hour guarantee
What this service covers
A roof is a system of parts, and a claim can involve any of them: the covering, the underlayment, the decking, flashing at walls and chimneys, pipe boots, valleys, ridge and vents. Damage may be an obvious opening or a subtle one, such as a displaced flashing or a split boot. Often the first sign is inside the house, as a ceiling stain or wet insulation in the attic.
Our investigators record the roof from the ground, from the eave at a ladder, from upper windows, and on the surface where slope and condition make that safe. They also record the attic underside and the ceilings below. Delator does not climb onto unsafe roofs. It does not say what caused a condition, whether a roof can be repaired or has to be replaced, or what the work costs.
When roof condition needs an independent record
- A roofer is about to tarp or patch an opening and the uncovered condition will not be visible again.
- The carrier attributes a ceiling leak to age and the owner attributes it to a specific event.
- A buyer, seller or landlord dispute involves the state of the roof on a particular date.
- A commercial owner needs a low-slope membrane, its seams and its drains recorded after ponding or a puncture.
- An adjuster cannot reach the address this week and wants the roof and attic recorded before a temporary repair.
Roof components and conditions we record
- Slopes and planes
- Each roof plane photographed whole and labeled by compass direction, then in sections, so that a reviewer can locate every close-up on the roof.
- Flashing, boots and penetrations
- Step and counter flashing, chimney and skylight perimeters, pipe boots and vent bases, showing gaps, lifted edges, sealant condition and any earlier patching.
- Valleys, ridge and edges
- Valley linings, ridge caps, drip edge, rakes and gutters, including sagging lines, exposed fasteners and accumulated granules or debris in the gutter runs.
- Attic underside
- Decking, rafters and insulation viewed from the attic access where entry is safe, recording daylight through the deck, staining, wet insulation and rusted nail points.
- Ceilings beneath the roof
- Interior stains, bubbling paint and sagging drywall on the top floor, each located by room and measured from walls so it can be matched to the roof above.
- Existing repairs and layers
- Mismatched shingles, sealant patches, earlier tarps and visible multiple layers at the eave, recorded as found with no statement about when the work was done.
From request to delivered record
- RequestCall dispatch or submit the request form with the location, loss type and urgency.
- DeployDispatch assigns the nearest available licensed field investigator through the statewide network.
- DocumentPhotographs, video, measurements and factual notes are captured once the scene is safe to work.
- PreserveFiles are timestamped, organized and kept in their original form with a record of who captured them.
- ReportThe package is delivered securely to the requesting party, typically the same day.
A tarp protects the house and hides the roof
Temporary roof repair is fast and effective at concealment. A tarp nailed or battened over an opening covers the damaged area and several feet around it, and the fasteners add new holes. Sealant applied over a split boot or lifted flashing hides the original gap. A patch replaces the shingles that were in question. A full replacement removes everything, and the old materials leave in a trailer the same day.
Once that happens, the only record of the original condition is whatever was photographed beforehand. Roofers do take pictures, but usually a small number chosen to support an estimate. A visit ahead of the tarp, or at the moment the crew is uncovering the area for permanent repair, preserves the opening, the surrounding field and the deck beneath. Investigators can coordinate arrival with a contractor's schedule when asked.
Age, wear and the repair-or-replace argument
Roof disputes usually come down to old versus new. One side sees a specific opening made on a specific date. The other sees a covering near the end of its service life, with curling, granule loss, brittle sealant and earlier patches. A related argument concerns extent: whether a limited area can be repaired or the condition is spread across slopes. Interior stains raise their own question about how long water has been entering.
Delator does not take a side in those arguments or estimate the age of a roof. The record shows the general condition of every accessible slope along with the specific area at issue, so neither is presented out of context. It is used by adjusters reviewing a file remotely, by engineers and roofing consultants forming opinions, by appraisers and umpires, and by attorneys who need exhibits that were not prepared by an interested party.
On this assignment Delator field personnel record what is physically present: photographs, video, measurements and factual notes. They do not adjust, appraise or value the loss, do not determine coverage, cause or fault, and do not represent any party to the claim.
Delator Claims Division is not a law firm, an insurer or an engineering firm, and nothing on this page is legal advice.
Common questions about this service
How do you document a roof you cannot walk on?
From the ground with long-lens photography, from a ladder at the eave, from upper-story windows and adjacent elevated positions that are lawfully and safely accessible, and from inside the attic. The field notes state which slopes were viewed directly and which were recorded only from a distance.
Will you remove a tarp to photograph underneath?
No. Investigators do not remove or alter temporary protection, because doing so could expose the building. If the owner's contractor lifts the tarp while we are present, the uncovered area is recorded. Otherwise the tarp, its extent and its attachment are documented as they are.
Can you tell me if I need a new roof?
No. Whether a roof is repaired or replaced, and at what cost, is a matter for the carrier, a roofing contractor or a retained consultant. Delator's record is limited to visible condition, and for policyholders the service is neutral documentation only.
Do you document flat commercial roofs?
Yes, where the surface is safely accessible. Membrane seams, punctures, ponding areas, drains, scuppers, parapet flashing and rooftop equipment curbs are recorded and measured against fixed features. Investigators do not walk on areas that appear soft, saturated or structurally doubtful.
Available statewide, including
Every Tennessee county is covered. See the deployment map for typical response tiers by county.
Request documentation anywhere in Tennessee
Dispatch is staffed around the clock. For time-sensitive scenes, calling is fastest; the request form works for routine and scheduled assignments.