Our shop is on Meadowvale Road. When a storm line comes up the Mississippi valley and hits Elk River, it hits us too. We are out checking our own building while the sirens are still going, and then we are out checking yours.

That is the plain reason storm damage restoration in Elk River works differently with Kiser. We are not driving in from another county. We live and work here, and we have been repairing storm-hit homes in Sherburne County since 2003.

This page covers what storm damage restoration in Elk River involves, what to check after a storm, and how the claim gets documented.

A Hail Record Elk River Homeowners Should Know About

People think of hail as a south metro problem. Elk River has its own history. On June 25, 2010, trained spotters filed multiple reports of one-inch hail inside the city, and a two-inch stone was measured one mile east of town. The full storm log is in the Minnesota DNR climate journal for that day.

One inch is the size the National Weather Service uses as its severe hail threshold, and it is large enough to bruise asphalt shingles. A two-inch stone can crack them outright. Roofs installed before 2010 that were never inspected after that storm are now old roofs with old hail damage on them, and they fail early.

If your home is from the 1990s or earlier and nobody has been on the roof since then, a free inspection is worth the ten minutes it takes to book one.

Why Elk River Storms Hit Two Different Kinds of Homes

Elk River is really two housing stocks. Near downtown, along Jackson Avenue and out toward Lake Orono, homes sit under a mature oak and maple canopy. Wind events there mean limbs and whole trees. A trunk through a roof opens the house to rain in seconds.

Out along the Highway 169 and Highway 10 corridors, the newer subdivisions have younger trees and bigger roof planes. Hail and straight-line wind do the damage there, and it shows up as lifted shingles, dented gutters and siding that popped loose on the windward side.

We have worked in both. The first job is the same either way: get the weather out of the house tonight, then figure out the rest in daylight.

What to Check After a Storm

Stay on the ground. Walk the perimeter with your phone and photograph everything before anything gets moved.

Look for shingles or tabs in the yard, granules piled at the bottom of downspouts, dents on the soft metal of gutters and window trim, and siding that has pulled away at the bottom edge. Look at the ceilings inside, especially under valleys and around chimneys. A faint tan ring on drywall is water that already got in.

Check the trees too. A limb hung up in the canopy over your roof is a second storm waiting for the next wind.

Power is Different Here

One local detail matters after a storm. Most of Elk River, plus parts of Otsego, Dayton and Big Lake Township, gets electricity from Elk River Municipal Utilities, the city-owned public power utility. If ERMU is the name on your bill, outages and downed lines get reported to ERMU. Some outlying parts of the city are served by other utilities, so check the bill before you call.

It matters to us because a house with no power in July or January has a second problem forming. Sump pumps stop. Furnaces stop. If a tree took your service mast down, the utility handles the line and we handle the roof, the mast flashing and whatever the water did inside. Say so when you call and we will sequence it.

How Storm Damage Restoration in Elk River Works with Kiser

First, emergency board-up and tarping. The emergency line is answered by a person 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays. A tarped roof before the next rain is the whole difference between a roof repair and a whole-house water loss.

Second, a written scope. We photograph the roof, the exterior and any interior water path, and we put it in writing. If a limb came through, we check framing and sheathing, not just shingles.

Third, the claim. We document the damage and meet your adjuster on site. We do not interpret your policy and we do not negotiate your coverage. We give your carrier a clear, photographed scope and we answer the adjuster’s questions. That is what the “claim assistance” people search for in Elk River actually needs, and it is what we do.

Fourth, the work. Roof, siding, gutters, windows and the interior repairs, all from one licensed general contractor with one project manager. Any water intrusion is handled as a full water damage restoration job, not a quick dry-out.

Why Elk River Calls the Company Down the Road

Kiser Construction has been based in Elk River since 2003. We hold Minnesota residential contractor license BC416441, we are bonded and insured, and our crews are IICRC certified. Every job carries a one-year warranty from the date we finish.

We are members of the Elk River Chamber of Commerce. Our trucks are parked on Meadowvale Road. When the warranty question comes up in year three, you know exactly where to find us.

Storm work is our regular work. We handle the same storms in Otsego and across the Elk River, Otsego, Rogers and Dayton corridor, so the crew that shows up has seen your kind of damage before.

Call Us

If a storm has opened your roof, dropped a tree on the house or pushed water inside, call the emergency line at (612) 518-8852 at any hour. For an inspection or a question, the office is (763) 633-2010, Monday through Friday, 9 to 5. Inspections are free. Storm damage restoration in Elk River starts with an honest look at the roof, and for us that look is a short drive from the shop. Tell us what you saw from the ground and we will take it from there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you offer storm damage repair in Elk River after hours?

Yes. The emergency line at (612) 518-8852 is answered by a person 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays. Our shop is in Elk River at 12767 Meadowvale Rd NW, so after-hours tarping and board-up in town is routine for us.

Who do I call about power lines down after a storm in Elk River?

Your electric utility, which for most of Elk River is Elk River Municipal Utilities, the city-owned public power utility. ERMU also serves parts of Otsego, Dayton and Big Lake Township. Check the name on your bill. If a tree pulled the service mast off your house, the utility handles the line and we handle the roof and mast repair.

Does hail actually fall in Elk River?

Yes. On June 25, 2010, spotters logged multiple one-inch hail reports inside Elk River and a two-inch stone one mile east of town. One-inch hail is the National Weather Service severe threshold and is large enough to bruise shingles. If your roof predates 2010 and was never inspected after that storm, book a free inspection.

Do you help with the insurance claim?

We document it. We photograph the damage, write a scope, and meet your adjuster on site to answer questions. We do not interpret your policy or negotiate coverage. That keeps the claim clean and keeps us on your side of the table.

A tree fell on my house. What do I do first?

Get everyone out of the room below it and stay out. Call (612) 518-8852. We will tarp the opening and shore anything that needs it, usually the same night. Then we check the framing, because a trunk strike often breaks rafters you cannot see from the ground.

Do you handle the repairs or only the emergency work?

Both. Board-up and tarping, then the roof, siding, gutters, windows and any interior water damage, all from one licensed general contractor with one project manager. Minnesota license BC416441.

Is the storm inspection free?

Yes. We get on the roof, photograph what we find, and tell you honestly whether it is worth a claim. Sometimes the answer is no, and we will say so.