We have had intense winds blowing through Portland over the last weeks. High winds can put plenty of pressure on your home. Winds can toss branches and other debris onto your roof or against your home, they can rip off siding or just make your yard look messy. Here are four steps for coping with damage the recent winds may have done to your home: 
Step #1: Give your home a good going over.
Check out the roof, the gutters, the siding and any windows. Clean up any large pieces of debris and write down any damage you find. Once you have an inventory of the damage, assess it from most urgent repair to least urgent. This can be really hard, but there will be problems that can wait while other issues get fixed.
Step #2: Get estimates.
After you understand the damage done, get estimates from trusted contractors. An easy way to research a contractor’s reputation can be found in this post, but in short you should be considering that: they have a valid CCB number and they come with good reviews. Picking a contractor can be hard, but once you have decided upon who you can trust, take a look at the estimates and your options. Consider your budget, but also consider the extent of the damage and what work will be involved in getting it fixed correctly. The damage the wind has caused may have revealed an underlying structural problem like dry rot that needs to be fixed along with the wind damage.
Step #3: Decide on your best course of action.
It may be that any damage the wind has caused is not a big problem – or is even something you can fix yourself. It also may be that the wind damage has revealed a major problem that threatens the structural integrity of your home. It also could be that the damage is somewhere in the middle. Make sure you completely understand your options. Clarify the estimates you have received and decide if you will be using a contractor, or if you are going to embark on a DIY project.
Step #4: Get the damage fixed.
Once you have worked out the best way to fix your home up, which contractor will work best, and the budget for the project, get the work scheduled and done.
This process does not have to take a long time – and you can likely take emergency action to protect damaged areas with a tarp or piece of wood. But such emergency measures don’t last forever. Be sure you get the damage completely fixed as soon as possible.