Windstorm and Fallen Tree Leak in Marysville, WA

Fall and winter storms in the Puget Sound lowlands often pair strong wind with heavy rain, and Marysville is full of tall Douglas firs, cedars and big leafy yard trees. A limb or whole tree that falls on a roof opens a hole that rain can pour through for hours, and wind alone can peel shingles or lift ridge caps on an exposed roof. Unlike a slow roof leak, this kind of opening lets water fall straight into the attic, through the ceiling and onto floors, furniture and wiring. Homes on the hills of Whiskey Ridge and Getchell Hill catch the wind, while older neighborhoods with mature trees near Jennings Park see more limbs come down.

In the first hour, rain fills the attic insulation, soaks ceiling drywall and runs into walls and onto carpet or hardwood. By 24 hours, ceilings near the opening often sag or collapse, and water has wicked into wall bottoms and floors in nearby rooms. By 48 hours, mold can start on wet drywall paper, framing and roof sheathing, and the home stays cold and damp if power is out. After a week with the opening only partly covered, framing, insulation and floors may need extensive replacement and the odor spreads through the home.

Rain that falls through a storm opening usually starts as clean water, so much of the structure can be dried in place if extraction starts fast. Rafters, roof sheathing, wall studs and floor joists that are wet but not broken are dried with air movers and dehumidifiers once the opening is covered. Carpet and pad in rooms away from the impact can often be extracted and dried in place. Hardwood floors that got wet but did not cup badly can be dried with mat systems, and wet walls that are still firm can be dried through small holes at the base.

Much more has to come out near the point of impact. Drywall and ceilings that were broken by branches or soaked long enough to sag are removed. Insulation that is wet or full of needles, bark and roofing debris is bagged and replaced. Pad that soaked up water mixed with debris is usually replaced, and laminate or engineered flooring that swelled is pulled up. When the opening stayed partly uncovered for a day or more, the water picks up dirt and debris, and more porous materials are removed for safety and odor control.

Wind and tree damage happens across Marysville because so many neighborhoods have tall trees close to homes. Older homes around downtown and Jennings Park sit under big mature trees, and many 1970s and 1980s homes in North Marysville and Pinewood back onto stands of fir. Newer homes on Getchell Hill, Cedarcrest and Whiskey Ridge sit higher and more exposed to wind, and their large roofs can lose shingles or ridge caps in a strong storm.

The same storms hit the towns nearby. On Camano Island and in Stanwood, homes near the water take the full force of wind coming across the open water, and in Mukilteo, homes near the gulches and bluffs have tall trees close to the house. In Arlington, rural lots around town often have big trees near the roof. One call connects you with a local crew that serves your town, can cover the opening and starts drying.