1. [Home](/) 2. [Guides](/guides/) 3. Storm and hail damage: what to do # Storm and hail damage: what to do Hail and wind can damage a roof in ways you can't see from the yard. Here is what to do in the hours and weeks after a storm, in the order that protects you and your home. ## Key takeaways - Stay off the roof. Check from the ground and from inside the attic, and photograph everything. - Document the damage before you move, clean up or repair anything beyond emergency protection. - Cover leaks with temporary measures, keep receipts, and leave roof tarping to a professional. - Report the loss to your insurer promptly and read your policy for deductibles and deadlines. - Take your time choosing a roofer. Pressure to sign on the spot is a warning sign. ## What hail and wind do to a roof Southwest Ohio gets most of its damaging roof weather from spring and summer thunderstorms. One storm can bring hail, straight-line wind, or both, and the damage often shows up on one side of a street and not the other. Hail works on a roof from the top down. It knocks granules off asphalt shingles, bruises the mat underneath, and in bigger storms can crack shingles or dent vents, flashing and ridge caps. Wind works from the edges in. It lifts shingles, creases them across the middle, and tears them off, usually starting at corners, eaves and ridges where air gets underneath. Neither kind of damage always looks dramatic from the yard. A roof can take a real hit and still look fine from the street, and a small opening can let water in for months before a ceiling stain appears. Ohio winters make that worse, because water that gets under a shingle in November can freeze, expand and widen the gap. Our guide on [how to spot hail damage](/guides/storm-damage-guide/spotting-hail-damage/) covers what to look for from the ground. ## Safety first after a storm Stay off the roof. After a storm, shingles are wet, loose granules act like ball bearings underfoot, and decking that has been soaked or damaged can give way. Roofers use harnesses and other fall protection for exactly this reason. Photos from the ground are enough for you. Look up before you walk around the yard. Treat any downed line as live, keep well back, and call the utility and emergency services. Do not touch anything a line is resting on, including fences, gutters and wet branches. Inside, check the attic with a flashlight if you can reach it safely from stairs or a solid floor. Look for damp insulation, daylight where there should be none, and dark stains on the underside of the roof deck. If a ceiling is bulging or sagging with water, keep people and pets out from under it, because water-heavy drywall can come down. If water is near light fixtures or outlets, leave the power off to that area and call an electrician. A tree or large limb on the roof is a job for a tree service and a roofer working together. Cutting it the wrong way can shift the load and push it through the roof. ## Documenting the damage Good records make everything after the storm easier: the insurance claim, the roofer's estimate, and any question about what was damaged by this storm and what was already worn. Start with the date and time of the storm and a short note of what you saw and heard. Weather reports for your area can back that up later. Then take photos and video from the ground. Walk the full perimeter and photograph every slope you can see. Take close shots of anything damaged: gutters, downspouts, vents, window screens, garage doors, siding, fences, a grill cover, patio furniture. Put a coin or tape measure next to a dent for scale. Photograph the inside too, including ceiling stains, wet insulation and drips. If you have older photos that show the roof, find them. Keep shingle pieces or debris that landed in the yard rather than throwing them out. Keep a running list of every call, name and date, and every receipt for emergency work. ## Temporary repairs that make sense Most policies expect you to take reasonable steps to keep a damaged home from getting worse, and those costs are often part of the claim. Photograph the damage first, then protect the house, and keep every receipt. From inside or the ground you can move furniture and belongings away from leaks, set buckets under drips, lay plastic sheeting over what cannot be moved, and cover a broken window. Tarping the roof belongs to a roofer. A tarp has to be fastened over the ridge or to solid framing, which means working at height on a damaged, possibly wet roof. A badly attached tarp blows off in the next gust and can do more harm than none. Nailing loose shingles back down or smearing on roofing cement may feel like progress, but those patches can hide damage and make inspection harder. Temporary repairs are meant to hold for days or weeks until permanent work is done. Ask whoever does them to describe in writing what they did and where, with photos. Hold off on permanent repairs until the damage is documented and, if you are filing a claim, until the insurer has had a chance to look. ## How an insurance claim generally works Start by reading the wind and hail parts of your homeowner's policy. Look for your deductible, which may be separate from your standard one, whether the roof is paid at replacement cost or actual cash value, and any time limit for reporting a loss. Then report the damage to your insurer or agent and write down your claim number. The insurer usually sends an adjuster to inspect, and you should be there if you can, with your photos and notes. You can also have a roofer of your choice inspect the roof and give you a written estimate to compare against the insurer's. After the visit you will get a decision and, if the claim is approved, an estimate of covered repairs. Payment often comes in stages, and a mortgage lender may be named on the check. If you disagree with the amount, ask for the reasons in writing and send your documentation. Policies differ, and none of this is legal advice. [How roof insurance claims usually work](/guides/storm-damage-guide/roof-insurance-claims/) goes through each step in more detail. ## Choosing a roofer after a storm Within days of a big storm, crews often arrive from outside the area and go door to door. Some are fine. Others are hard to reach once the work is finished, or press homeowners into signing before they have compared anything. A sound roofer has a local address you can visit, a phone that gets answered, and past customers nearby whose roofs you can see. Ask for a written, itemized estimate that names the materials and the work. Ask for proof of insurance, and ask whether your city or county requires a permit for the job. Be wary of anyone who asks you to sign on the spot, wants a large payment up front, promises your claim will be approved, or offers to cover your deductible. That last one can cause problems with your insurer. Get at least two written estimates and take a day to read the contract. [How to avoid storm-chaser roofers](/guides/storm-damage-guide/storm-chaser-roofers/) lists what to check. ## Repair or replace What you do next depends on how far the damage spreads. A few lifted or missing shingles from a wind gust are usually a repair. Scattered bruising across several slopes, widespread granule loss, or cracked shingles in many places usually points to replacing at least the affected slopes or the whole roof. Age matters too. Older shingles can be brittle, and they may not take a repair without breaking more around it. Matching the color and profile of an older shingle that is no longer made can also be difficult. A roofer who inspects the roof can tell you what is repairable and what is not, and should show you photos to back it up. For help with the work itself, see [storm damage repair](/services/storm-damage/). ## Frequently asked questions How long do I have to file a roof claim after a storm? It depends on your policy and your insurer, and some set short windows for reporting a loss. Read your policy or call your agent soon after the storm rather than waiting to see if problems show up. Should I climb up to photograph the damage myself? No. Wet shingles and damaged decking make roofs dangerous after a storm. Take photos from the ground with your phone's zoom, and let a roofer document the roof itself. Will putting a tarp on my roof hurt my claim? Generally no. Insurers usually expect you to protect the home from further damage. Photograph the damage first, keep receipts, and have the tarp installed by a roofer who can secure it safely. Can minor hail damage be repaired instead of replacing the roof? Sometimes. If the damage is limited to a few shingles or vents on a roof in good condition, repair can work. Widespread bruising or cracking, or brittle older shingles, often means replacement is the better answer. 6 min read. ### Want us to handle it? Jackson Exteriors works in Hamilton, Fairfield, Fairfield Township. [Get a quote](/contact/)[Call (513)863-5300](tel:+15138635300) ### In this guide - [How to spot hail damage on a roof](/guides/storm-damage-guide/spotting-hail-damage/) - [How roof insurance claims usually work](/guides/storm-damage-guide/roof-insurance-claims/) - [How to avoid storm-chaser roofers](/guides/storm-damage-guide/storm-chaser-roofers/) ### Related services - [Roof Repair](/services/roof-repair/) - [Storm & Hail Damage](/services/storm-damage/) ### Service areas - [Hamilton](/areas/hamilton/) - [Fairfield](/areas/fairfield/) - [Fairfield Township](/areas/fairfield-township/) ### Other guides - [Replacing a roof in Southwest Ohio](/guides/roof-replacement-guide/) - [Gutters, leaks and keeping water out of your house](/guides/gutters-and-leaks-guide/) ## Call us at (513) 863-5300 or send a quote request and we will look at your roof. [Get a quote](/contact/) [Call (513)863-5300](tel:+15138635300) --- **Jackson Exteriors** · 781 Impala Pl, Hamilton, OH 45013 · (513)863-5300 [Get a quote](/contact/) · [Services](/services/) · [Guides](/guides/) · [FAQ](/faq/)