Hail Damage Roof Inspection – Checklist for Texas Homeowners

Hail damage isn’t always immediate obvious to homeowners, so a hail damage roof inspection is crucial anytime hail has rained down on your home. Even small hailstones can cause damage to roofs because other variables besides just the size of the hailstone is at play. Even hail as small as ¼ inch diameter can cause asphalt granule loss and surface cracks that can eventually lead to major issues down the road.

Factors Impacting the Damage Potential of Hail

Wind speed and direction play an important role in whether or not hail damages your roof. Most hail damage occurs during wind speeds over 30 mph. The quality of your shingle will also affect the degree of damage hail may cause. Architectural shingles, for example, can usually withstand a greater impact than 3-tab shingles. Premium shingles aren’t just about aesthetics — they also provide greater resistance to damage.

In the event of a storm, the following hail damage roof inspection checklist will help Texas residents assess the condition of their roof and take the necessary steps to expedite repairs.

Elevated Roofing understands the emotional and financial stress that results from severe weather events. If you’ve been the victim of storm damage, we encourage you to contact your hometown choice roofing contractor to schedule a free roof inspection to assess the condition of your roof.

During your hail damage roof inspection, one of our experienced roofing professionals will assess any signs of damage. Once our qualified project manager has made an accurate determination of what repairs will be necessary to return your property to its original condition, we will be able to provide a detailed inspection photo report outlining all damage or issues found during the inspection. We are also happy to provide a detailed estimate for requested repairs. This information isn’t just important, it’s often crucial to a successful insurance claim.

Get a Free Roof Inspection »

Hail Damage Roof Inspection Checklist

We do not advise anyone to get up on the roof to perform your own hail damage roof inspection. This is dangerous. It is also unlikely that an untrained homeowner will find the subtle damage that professionals look for during a hail damage roof inspection. It’s also worth noting that if you climb up on the roof and cause damage, you could jeopardize your claim.

Leave the hail damage roof inspection to our experienced inspectors. We are DFW’s premier #1 roofing company for a reason.

We do encourage you to perform a visual inspection from the ground immediately following the storm and before doing any kind of cleanup while you wait for us to arrive. During any visual inspection, homeowners should always photograph and document any damaged areas, whether to the roof or to other areas of the home. These photos can provide important documentation to support your roof insurance claim.

Indoor Hail Damage Assessment

As a homeowner, before you even go outside to do a perimeter check after a hail storm in Texas, check for immediate evidence of roof damage from the storm on the inside of your home. New water damage indicates that your roof was damaged in the storm.

Check for water stains, visible water leaks and mold or mildew around your home in the following areas:

• Ceiling
• Walls
• Overhead light fixtures
• Hard to reach areas, like closets
• Attic
• Garage

What Homeowners Should Look for During a Ground-Level Perimeter Inspection

While we don’t recommend that you get up on your roof to check for damage like we will during your hail damage roof inspection, you should walk the perimeter of your home and look for any visual signs of damage. Signs of damage may indicate that you need hail damage roof repair.

Your perimeter inspection should involve documenting the larger picture and gathering proof of the storm’s impact. This may include damage that isn’t even touching your house, such as downed branches in your yard, hailstones still on the ground and debris scattered around your yard. While you wait for one of our inspectors and right after the storm has passed, look for the following signs around your property:

• Shingles around the perimeter. Are any shingles or pieces of shingles on the ground around the perimeter of the home? Shingles may have been ripped off during high winds. This usually indicates that you have hail and wind damage to your roof.
• Damaged shingles. Look up at your roof to see if any large sections of shingles are missing. You should also look for dented shingles or dark spots on shingles. Torn, curled, cracked or missing shingles are a sign of damage.
• Shingle granules. Hail impact often damages the protective layer found on shingles. The granules of the shingles are loosened from the impact and usually get washed down the gutters and downspouts (located usually near the ends of the downspouts around the home). This is usually a sign your roof has sustained damage.
• Damaged flashing and/or vent caps. Do you notice any dents or pockmarks on your roof’s flashing or vent caps?
• Damaged gutters and/or downspouts. Check your gutters and downspouts for visible damage like dents, pockmarks or cracks. You should also check for shingle granules in these areas.
• Damaged siding. Check the siding of your house for visible damage such as dents, cracks or chips.
• Broken tree limbs and debris. Check for broken tree limbs and debris on the roof and surrounding structures. These objects may have caused obvious structural damage to the roof.
• Damage to vehicles. If vehicles in your neighborhood suffered hail damage, it is likely that your roof did too. Photos of vehicle damage can offer supportive documentation to support your insurance claim.
• Damage to other outdoor structures. You can also check for damage to other structures, such as fences (check for splatter marks), decks, sheds, garage doors, air conditioning units, window screens and shutters.

Contact a Local Roofing Company Near You

Do not file a possibly unnecessary claim with your insurance company before you have a trusted roofing company do a hail damage roof inspection. We will advise you if you need to file a claim with your insurance company. You do not necessarily have hail damage just because your neighbor’s home was damaged. Unnecessary claims can go on your insurance record and may affect your premiums or coverage options in the future.

• Call a trusted, licensed and local roofing company. Avoid roofers who knock on your door right after a storm. They are trying to make quick money. You want a licensed and insured roofing contractor trusted by the community.
• Get a free roof inspection. We recommend that you have your roof inspected prior to contacting your insurance company. We would be more than happy to assist you with a preliminary roof inspection.
• Share any photographs that you’ve taken of the damage during your visual inspection from the ground with your Elevated Roofing inspector.

Contact Your Homeowner’s Insurance Provider

• Organize notes and photographs from your roofing contractor’s inspection. If the insurance company requests this, you can give the insurance company the detailed inspection photo report that we give you.
• Check your policy. If you do need to file a claim, your insurance company may request that you get three estimates from three different contractors. However, you can let them know that you have already chosen your contractor and that we are highly rated.
• Contact your insurance provider only after your hail damage roof inspection is complete and we advise you that you have damage.

• Schedule an onsite inspection with your insurance provider’s adjuster. Let your insurance adjuster know in advance that you have chosen us as your roofing contractor, and you want us there for the meeting. Let them know that it is important for them to be in agreement with us. This ensures less items are missed or omitted from the initial insurance estimate.
• Have your roofing contractor meet with your insurance adjuster. You have a right to have us onsite at the scheduled inspection. This way, we can make sure we are in agreement with the damages found.

Get a Free Hail Damage Roof Inspection Today

Elevated Roofing is rated one of the top 100 contractors in the entire United States. We opened our doors in 1995 and have spent decades in the community building on our reputation.

We’re a leader in the residential roofing industry because we give each and every client the highest level of customer service and workmanship possible. That’s why our community gave us a 4.9 out of 5 star-rating on Google with more than a thousand reviews.

After a severe storm, count on us to get you a prompt hail damage roof inspection report and the support you need for fair compensation on your insurance claim. Based in Frisco, TX, we provide residential roofing services to customers throughout the North Dallas area, including McKinney, Plano, Allen and more. We are eager to help you get life back to normal after a storm. Call us at (469) 305-0010, message us online or request a hail or storm damage assessment today.