Gutters after a storm: safety, insurance claims and storm-chaser contractors

Updated November 10, 2026 · KeystoneProGuide editorial team

What should you do first after a storm damages your gutters?

Check for danger before anything else, then document the damage, then deal with contractors. In that order. Pennsylvania's utility regulator, Insurance Department and Attorney General each give advice for one of those steps, and it fits together well.

Is it safe to go near the damage?

Look for wires first. Pennsylvania's Public Utility Commission says to treat every downed line as if it is live, to stay at least 10 feet away from overhead lines, and to identify where lines are before starting any work. If a line near the damaged gutter is down or sagging, stay away and call your electric utility; the PUC urges contacting the utility about any work near lines.

Do not climb onto a roof or a wet ladder to inspect. The roof runoff article from Penn State Extension says gutter systems need occasional inspections for storm damage, but those can be done from the ground first, with binoculars or from a window.

In winter storms the same caution applies to snow and ice. North Dakota State University Extension says roof snow removal can be dangerous and advises a roof rake from the ground, watching for power lines, and a University of Massachusetts article warns against chipping ice from roof edges.

How should you document the damage for insurance?

The Pennsylvania Insurance Department's advice after storms is:

1. Contact your insurance company as soon as possible.
2. Take photographs or video of the damage before cleaning up or making repairs.
3. Save all receipts.
4. Make the repairs needed to prevent further damage or to live in the home, but do not make permanent repairs before the insurer inspects the damage and approves them.
5. If you can, find out what the repair will cost before meeting the insurer's representative, and be prepared to negotiate.

For gutters, a temporary repair might mean moving a hanging section so it cannot fall, or setting a downspout extension so water drains away from the foundation in the next rain. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that if wet materials are dried within 24 to 48 hours of a leak, in most cases mold will not grow, so getting water away from the house quickly matters.

The department also points out that flood damage is not covered by most homeowners' policies; a separate flood policy is needed. Its consumer line is 1-877-881-6388.

How do you spot a storm-chaser contractor?

In the Insurance Department's account, before you have called anyone. After storms in 2023, the Insurance Department said it was already receiving reports, by the next morning, of brochures hung on doors and left in mailboxes offering "Free Storm Inspections" and insurance claims help from roofing and contracting companies. Its warnings include:

• be wary of contractors whose vans or trucks have out-of-state license plates or no company name or insignia;
• check references and the Better Business Bureau;
• do not sign paperwork with blanks to be filled in later;
• do not pay in full, or sign that the work is complete, until it is;
• ask anyone presenting themselves as a public adjuster for identification, since public adjusters are licensed by the department.

The Attorney General's warning after storms and flooding in July 2025 adds that scammers see disasters as an opportunity, that you should be wary of door-to-door pitches, and that legitimate contractors will not ask for large sums before signing a contract and will give written estimates and copies of contracts first. It suggests calling your insurer before agreeing to a contract, and asking your bank about a Certificate of Completion so the contractor is paid in stages after each is approved.

The Federal Trade Commission lists the same tactics in general terms: contractors who say they are "in the area", claim leftover materials, push for an immediate decision or ask for cash up front.

What protections apply to storm repair contracts?

For a home improvement job above $500, Pennsylvania's Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act requires a written, signed contract with the work, dates, total price and your right to cancel within three business days. On contracts above $5,000, the deposit may not exceed one-third of the price, with a narrow exception for some large retailers. Check any company's registration on the Attorney General's contractor search.

One exclusion in the Act is worth knowing: it does not cover "emergency work" as the state's consumer protection law describes it. Pennsylvania's building regulation, separately, lets an emergency repair be made without first getting a permit, provided a permit application follows within 3 business days. Neither rule means a large contract has to be signed on the spot. Temporary protection now, permanent repair after the insurer has inspected, is the sequence the Insurance Department describes.

Can you prepare before the next storm?

Ready.gov's flood advice lists "Declutter drains and gutters" among the steps to protect your property before a flood, along with moving valuables to higher levels and installing check valves. Clear gutters and downspouts that discharge well away from the foundation are the part of that list a gutter cleaning covers.

How often to clean sets out a routine, gutter scams to avoid covers the wider warning signs, and local businesses are on the gutter cleaning directory page.

Sources

1. Power Up Your Safety: PUC Essential Electric Tips for Pennsylvania's Warmer Months, Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission
2. Shapiro Administration Provides Advice on Claims, Avoiding Scams Following Strong Storms and Flooding, Pennsylvania Insurance Department
3. AG Sunday Warns Consumers of Potential Scams Following Storms and Flooding, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
4. Floods, Ready.gov (U.S. Department of Homeland Security)
5. How To Avoid a Home Improvement Scam, Federal Trade Commission
6. Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act (2008 Act 132), Pennsylvania General Assembly
7. Home Improvement Contractor Search, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
8. Roof Runoff Structures, Penn State Extension
9. 34 Pa. Code 403.62. Permit requirements and exemptions., Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania Code)
10. A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
11. Reduce ice dam and icicle damage, North Dakota State University Extension
12. Preventing Ice Dams, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Building and Construction Technology