Quick answer: After a chinook or windstorm, deal with hazards first: stay away from downed power lines and call 911 if a line is down, sparking or on fire. Then photograph the damage, cover any openings with a tarp or plywood, and report it to your insurer. Wind damage is usually covered by standard home policies, but deductibles and exclusions vary.
Calgary is a windy city. Chinooks roll off the Rockies all winter, and summer thunderstorms bring sudden gusts that strip shingles and drop branches. This guide explains what wind damage looks like, what to do first, and how insurance usually treats it. If wind has opened up your roof or walls, our storm damage restoration in Calgary crews can secure it 24/7.
What Is a Chinook, and Why Does It Damage Calgary Homes?
A chinook is a warm, dry, gusty westerly wind that blows down the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains onto the prairies. According to The Canadian Encyclopedia, chinook winds usually blow at 16 to 60 km/h and can gust to 100 km/h, and about one in three winter days in southwestern Alberta is a chinook day.
Chinooks aren’t the only culprit. The City of Calgary notes that high wind events happen fairly frequently in Calgary, and that the strongest winds usually come from severe thunderstorms, intense low-pressure systems, cold fronts and chinooks.
Chinooks hit homes in two ways. The gusts lift shingles, siding and loose objects, often in winter when shingles are cold and stiff. The rapid melt and refreeze that follows also builds ice along the eaves. Our guide to ice dams in Calgary covers that side of the problem.
What Does Wind Damage Look Like?
Wind damage is easy to miss from the ground. Once it is safe, walk around the house and look for:
| Area | Signs of wind damage | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Shingles | Missing, lifted or creased shingles; shingles in the yard | Water can get under them in the next rain or melt |
| Ridge caps and roof vents | Loose or missing caps, tilted or torn-off vents | Common entry points for leaks |
| Siding | Panels unlatched, cracked or blown off | Exposes the wall sheathing to moisture |
| Soffits and fascia | Sagging or missing soffit panels, loose fascia | Lets in snow, birds and pests |
| Eavestroughs | Pulled away from the fascia or bent | Water spills against the foundation |
| Fences, sheds and decks | Leaning posts, missing panels, lifted roofing | Often insured under a separate limit |
| Trees and branches | Broken limbs, split trunks, branches on the roof | Can puncture roofs and pull down lines |
| Windows and doors | Cracks from flying debris, torn screens, damaged frames | Lets in water and cold air |
Some damage only shows up later, as a ceiling stain, a draft or a dripping light fixture. If you notice one after a windstorm, check the roof above it.
What Should You Do First After a Windstorm?
Treat every downed power line as live. ENMAX advises calling 911 immediately if a power line is on the ground, sparking or on fire. Stay well back, keep children and pets away, and don’t touch anything the line is touching, including a fence, vehicle or tree.
To report a downed line or an outage in Calgary, call the ENMAX Power Trouble Line at 403-514-6100, as the City of Calgary’s utility outage guide advises. In Airdrie, Cochrane, Crossfield, Beiseker and much of Rocky View County, the lines are generally run by FortisAlberta, which takes reports at 310-WIRE (9473). If you’re unsure, call 911.
If you smell gas, which has a rotten-egg odour, leave the building right away. Don’t switch lights on or off or use anything that could spark, and call ATCO Gas at 1-800-511-3447 or 911 once you are a safe distance away.
Once the immediate hazards are handled:
- Stay off the roof until the wind has dropped and it has been checked
- Keep clear of hanging branches and leaning trees
- Report City-owned trees or branches blocking a road to 311
- Keep people and vehicles away from loose siding or a damaged chimney
- Turn off power to wet areas only if the panel is dry and safe to reach
If a tree has come down on the house, follow our steps for what to do if a tree falls on your house during a Calgary storm, and don’t try to cut it off the roof yourself.
How Do You Protect Your Home Until Repairs Start?
Most home policies expect you to take reasonable steps to stop further damage. In Calgary, that usually means getting the roof covered before the next gust, rain or snowfall:
- Tarp missing shingles or a damaged section of roof
- Board up broken windows and doors
- Cover exposed sheathing where siding blew off
- Move furniture and belongings away from leaks
- Catch drips and mop up water inside
- Photograph the work and keep every receipt
Leave roof work to professionals, especially in wind or ice. Our 24/7 emergency restoration crews tarp roofs and board up openings across Calgary, arriving in under 90 minutes on most calls. If rain or snowmelt got inside, drying should start right away to keep mould from taking hold.
Does Home Insurance Cover Wind Damage in Calgary?
Usually, yes. IBC says standard home and business policies cover damage caused by hail or wind, including damage from flying debris, falling branches or trees, and water that gets in through openings suddenly caused by the wind. Pre-existing damage is not covered.
Claims get harder when shingles were already worn or curling, when water came in through an open window, or when damage spread because nothing was done to stop it. Fences and sheds are often covered under a separate detached structures limit, and some policies carry a different deductible for wind or hail. Check your policy or ask your broker.
For a step-by-step look at the process, see our guide on how to file a property insurance claim in Calgary.
How Should You Document Wind Damage for Your Claim?
- Note the date and time of the windstorm and save any weather warnings
- Photograph each side of the house, then close-ups of each damaged area
- Photograph shingles, siding or fence panels in the yard before moving them
- Video the inside, including ceiling stains and the attic if it is safe
- Keep damaged materials until your adjuster says they can go
- Save receipts for tarps, plywood, tree removal and hotel stays
Report the claim promptly. Wind and hail often arrive in the same Calgary storm, and our guide on filing a hail damage insurance claim in Calgary explains the deductibles and roof endorsements that can apply to both.
Wind Damage Repair vs. Wind Damage Restoration: What’s the Difference?
Repair fixes what you can see: new shingles, a replaced siding panel, a rebuilt fence. Restoration also deals with what the wind let in. If rain or melting snow got under the shingles or behind the siding, insulation, drywall and framing may need drying, and some materials may need to come out.
Our wind damage restoration services cover both. We secure the property, dry out any water damage, repair the structure and handle the rebuild in-house, with one project manager assigned from start to finish. When hail comes with the wind, our hail damage repair team handles the roof and siding claim too.
When to Call a Professional
Call right away if wind has opened the roof, broken a window, pulled siding off the wall, or dropped a tree or large branch on the house. Call too if you see water stains or hear dripping in the attic. Our storm damage restoration team is on call 24/7 across Calgary, Airdrie, Chestermere, Cochrane and Rocky View County.
Our HAAG-certified roofing estimators document damage for your adjuster, and our estimates are written in Xactimate, the platform widely used by insurers. You can also report a claim to DKI Calgary online.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do after a chinook damages my roof?
Stay off the roof, especially while it is still windy or icy. Photograph missing or lifted shingles from the ground, check the attic and ceilings for water, and get the damaged area tarped before the next gust or snowfall. Report the damage to your insurer promptly. A restoration company can tarp the roof and document the damage for your adjuster.
Does home insurance cover wind damage in Calgary?
Usually. Standard home policies typically cover sudden damage from wind, including flying debris, fallen branches and trees, and water that enters through openings the wind created. Damage from wear and tear, an old roof or an open window is usually not covered, and some policies have a separate wind or hail deductible. Check your policy wording or ask your broker.
Who do I call about a downed power line in Calgary?
Call 911 right away if a power line is on the ground, sparking or on fire, and stay well back. In Calgary, you can also report downed lines and outages to the ENMAX Power Trouble Line at 403-514-6100. In Airdrie, Cochrane and much of Rocky View County, FortisAlberta takes reports at 310-WIRE (9473). Never touch a line or anything it is touching.
How strong are chinook winds in Calgary?
Chinook winds usually blow at about 16 to 60 km/h and can gust to 100 km/h, according to The Canadian Encyclopedia. Severe thunderstorms and cold fronts can also bring damaging gusts. Even moderate gusts can lift shingles that are old, poorly sealed or stiff from the cold, so check your roof from the ground after any strong wind.
Is a fence blown down by wind covered by insurance?
Often, under the detached structures part of your home policy, which usually has its own limit. A fence that was already rotten or leaning may not be covered, because insurers treat that as wear and tear. Photograph the damage before you clear it away, and ask your broker how your policy treats fences, sheds and other structures.
Who is responsible for a tree that falls in a windstorm?
If a City-owned tree is down or a branch is blocking a road, report it to 311. A tree on private property is usually the owner’s responsibility to remove. If a tree damages your house, your own home policy often covers the damage, wherever the tree grew. Our guide on what to do if a tree falls on your house covers the steps.
Calgary’s wind will keep blowing, but a fast response limits the damage. If a chinook or windstorm has damaged your home, call DKI Calgary 24/7 at 1-888-272-9543. We have been restoring Calgary homes since 1981.