Commercial storm and hail damage

What hail does to each roof type

Hail doesn't damage every roof the same way, and much of it can't be seen from the ground or from inside:

• TPO and PVC: fractures in the membrane, often small circular or star-shaped cracks, and crushed insulation or cover board underneath. Older, more brittle membranes are hit hardest
• EPDM: rubber absorbs impact well, but large hail can puncture it or damage the insulation below
• Modified bitumen and built-up: bruised spots where granules or gravel were knocked away, and cracks in the cap sheet
• Metal: dents in panels, damaged seams and coatings, and split sealant at fasteners and flashings
• Coated roofs: cracked or chipped coating that exposes the roof below
• Shingles: bruises, lost granules and cracked mats on steep-slope buildings
• Everything else: skylights, rooftop unit fins and hoods, vents, gutters and edge metal

Wind damage

Straight-line winds and tornadoes peel roofs from the edges. After a wind event we check edge metal and copings, membrane attachment at the perimeter and corners, loose or displaced flashings, panels and fasteners on metal roofs, and rooftop equipment that has shifted. A roof that has lifted and settled back can look normal and still have lost its attachment.

A documented inspection

Our storm inspection covers the whole roof, by drone and on foot. You get a written report with dated photos of what we found, a roof plan showing where, and our assessment of what needs repair. When it matters, core samples and moisture scans through our testing partner show whether water has reached the insulation.

The report is yours to keep and use however you choose, whether or not you hire us.

What an owner should know before filing

We're roofers, not adjusters or attorneys. We can't interpret your policy or tell you what it covers. What we can tell you is how the process generally works, so you go in prepared:

• Read your policy first, or ask your agent: commercial policies often have separate wind and hail deductibles, sometimes a percentage of the building's value, and may treat cosmetic damage differently
• Policies set deadlines for reporting storm damage, so don't sit on it
• Protect the building from further damage and keep the receipts: temporary repairs are generally expected of the owner
• Document the date of the storm and what you observed
• You file the claim and make every decision with your insurer. At your request we can be on the roof when your adjuster inspects, to point out what we documented
• Appraisal, where a policy provides for it, is the policyholder's right under the policy. Whether to use it is your decision, with your own advisors

After the inspection

If the roof needs work, you get a written proposal with the options: repairs, restoration where the roof qualifies, or replacement, with alternates. If the storm didn't cause meaningful damage, we tell you that too. Emergency leak repairs and temporary dry-in are available when the weather isn't finished.

Texas law requires a property owner to pay their insurance deductible. We don't waive, rebate or absorb deductibles, and a contractor who offers to is breaking the law.