Storm Damage Structural Report for a Creston, Iowa Home

The Concern

StructSolve was retained to evaluate a residential property in Creston, Iowa after reported tornado-related wind damage and tree impacts. The reported concerns included partial roof damage, possible displacement or movement of roof framing, possible wall movement, and related damage to portions of the residence, garage, and breezeway.

Because the damage affected multiple structural and exterior building components, the project required more than a single-condition review. The evaluation focused on documenting visible storm-related structural conditions and identifying remedial actions that could help guide the claim documentation and next steps.

Why StructSolve Was Contacted

Storm damage can involve more than damaged roof covering or siding. In this case, the reported conditions raised questions about roof framing, wall framing, garage framing, breezeway walls, exterior wall assemblies, and related interior impacts. StructSolve was asked to provide an engineering perspective based on visible site conditions.

The inspection was visual only. Materials were not moved, removed, adjusted, or impacted during the inspection, so the report was based on conditions visible at the time of the evaluation.

What StructSolve Observed

StructSolve documented damage associated with fallen trees and high-wind storm effects. The garage showed damage at the front roof overhang, ridge area, roof surface, siding, roof trusses, and wall framing. The east and west garage walls exhibited bowing and out-of-plane displacement.

The residence and connecting breezeway also showed structural and exterior damage. Observed conditions included damage at a second-story gable-end roof overhang, damaged roof framing on the west side of the structure, soffit damage and detachment, and a roof penetration at the breezeway. The breezeway walls exhibited bowing and out-of-plane displacement consistent with loading from the fallen tree.

Additional exterior conditions included damaged siding along the residence and a detached and displaced gutter along the west side of the structure. The report also documented a penetration through the exterior wall assembly that extended into the interior and damaged a shower enclosure.

Engineering Assessment

The observed damage was consistent with the reported impact from a large fallen tree and storm-related wind effects. StructSolve’s report identified significant structural damage to the garage, breezeway, and portions of the residence. The affected components included roof framing, wall framing, roof trusses, exterior wall assemblies, and related building elements.

The report explained that damaged structural elements had experienced a loss of their intended load-carrying capacity and should be repaired or replaced as outlined in the remedial actions. The conclusions were limited to the conditions observed during the visual inspection.

Remedial Actions

StructSolve’s remedial actions addressed the specific damaged areas observed during the inspection. For the garage, the report recommended removing and replacing damaged roof overhang framing, roof covering, roof framing on the northern side, the first five northernmost roof trusses, associated sheathing and roofing materials, and damaged siding on multiple elevations. The report also recommended rebuilding the bowed and out-of-plane displaced garage walls.

For the residence, StructSolve recommended removing and replacing damaged second-story roof overhang framing, associated roofing materials, damaged roof framing on the west side, and damaged or missing soffit. The report also recommended removing and replacing damaged roof framing, roof sheathing, and associated framing at the roof penetration area.

For the breezeway and wall impacts, the remedial actions included demolishing and reconstructing the breezeway structure, including damaged framing and finishes. The report also recommended removing and replacing the damaged exterior wall assembly and repairing the damaged shower enclosure and related interior finishes. Detached and displaced gutter components were also identified for replacement.

Outcome

The structural report gave the project stakeholders a clear engineering record of the visible storm-related damage and the recommended remedial actions for affected structural and exterior components. The documentation helped clarify the areas requiring repair, replacement, or reconstruction based on observed conditions at the time of inspection.