North Texas storms rarely do one thing to a roof. A spring cell can drop hail, push straight-line wind across the neighborhood and bring a limb down in the same half hour. Our job after a storm is to find all of it, photograph it, and give you an honest read on what it means for the roof and for a claim.
What hail and wind actually do to a roof
Hail bruises and cracks asphalt shingles, knocks loose the granules that protect them from the sun, and dents vents, flashing and gutters. Wind breaks the seal between shingle courses, then creases, lifts or tears shingles off. Either kind of damage can let water in weeks after the storm.
What we look for, by cause:
| Cause | What it does | Where it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Hail | Bruises the shingle mat, cracks it, strips granules | Dark spots that feel soft, granules in gutters, dented soft metals |
| Straight-line wind | Breaks the adhesive strip between courses, creases tabs | Lifted or folded shingles, missing tabs, bent ridge cap |
| Wind-driven rain | Forces water past worn flashing and pipe boots | Ceiling stains, wet decking in the attic |
| Falling limbs | Punctures shingles and can crack the decking | Holes, split decking, damaged gutters below |
Granule loss is the one homeowners miss most often. The shingle can look intact from the driveway, but once the asphalt is exposed it breaks down faster, and the leak shows up months later.
What to do in the first two days after a storm
Check the ceilings and attic for water, photograph any damage you can see safely from the ground, and stop active leaks with a tarp or bucket. Keep every receipt. Then book an inspection so you know whether there is real damage before you call your insurer. Stay off the roof yourself.
- Look inside first. Stains, drips and wet insulation tell you whether this is urgent.
- Take dated photos of anything visible from the yard: dented gutters, shingles on the lawn, a limb on the roof.
- Prevent more damage. The Texas Department of Insurance notes that your policy may pay for temporary repairs and tells homeowners to keep the receipts (TDI, Hail damage tips).
- Hold off on permanent repairs until your insurer has seen the damage.
- Get an inspection. Ours is free. Call (817) 754-9484 or request one online.
Emergency tarping after hail or wind
If a storm has opened your roof, the first job is keeping water out of the house. We tarp the damaged area, secure it against the next round of wind, photograph the damage before we cover it, and then schedule the permanent repair. Call (817) 754-9484 for emergency tarping.
We offer emergency tarping: 24/7 emergency service, call anytime.
Keep the invoice for the tarp. Reasonable steps to prevent further damage are something insurers expect, and the cost is often part of a covered claim. More on urgent work is on our emergency roof repair page.
What our storm inspection covers
A storm inspection covers the ground, every slope of the roof and the attic where we can reach it, and it ends with a plain answer: damage worth a claim, a small repair that is cheaper to pay for yourself, or no damage at all. You get the photos in every case, including the last one.
- Ground walk. Gutters, downspouts, window screens, fences, AC fins and other soft metals. Dents there help show hail size and direction.
- Roof, slope by slope. Hail hits marked and counted, ridges, valleys, vents, pipe boots and flashing checked.
- Attic check for daylight, staining and wet decking.
- Photo documentation. Close-ups with a scale reference, plus wide shots showing where each one sits on the roof.
- Measurements and an itemized scope if repair or replacement is needed.
The same visit is our standard roof inspection, just aimed at storm evidence.
Repair or replace after hail
Scattered hits on a newer roof can often be repaired. Widespread bruising, cracked shingles across several slopes, heavy granule loss, or a discontinued shingle that cannot be matched usually point to replacement. We show you the photos and explain which applies before you decide anything.
Our repair vs. replace guide walks through the decision in more detail, and the work itself is covered on our roof repair and roof replacement pages.
If you are replacing anyway, price Class 4 impact-resistant shingles next to standard ones. The Texas Department of Insurance says a Class 4 roof covering receives the highest premium credit among impact-rated classes, but each insurer sets its own discount (TDI, Impact-resistant roofing discounts). Ask your agent for the actual figure.
Storm damage and your insurance claim
Most hail claims follow the same path: inspection, you file with your insurer, the adjuster inspects, the insurer sends an estimate and a first payment, the work is done, and any recoverable depreciation is released. We document the damage, meet the adjuster and build the scope. You file the claim and pay your deductible.
Texas law is clear on that last point. Business and Commerce Code §27.02 makes it a Class B misdemeanor for a contractor to waive, absorb or rebate your deductible, and Insurance Code Chapter 707 requires the policyholder to pay it (HB 2102, 2019). We never do it.
Our roof insurance claim guide covers the full process, including wind and hail deductibles and what happens at the adjuster meeting. This is general education, not legal or insurance advice.
How to spot a storm chaser
After a big hail event, out-of-town crews knock on doors across DFW. Be wary of anyone who pushes you to sign that day, wants a large payment up front, has no local address, or offers to “take care of” your deductible. Texas has no state license for roofers, so a “licensed” badge on a flyer proves nothing about roofing.
What to ask any roofer, including us:
- Where is your office, and will you be here for warranty work next year?
- Can I see proof of insurance?
- Are you registered with my city? We are registered with the City of Arlington.
- Will I get an itemized written scope before I sign?
The Texas Department of Insurance says a roofer generally cannot act as your public adjuster or advertise that it will negotiate your claim (TDI, Know the law). Report deductible-waiver offers to the Texas Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Hotline at 800-621-0508 (TDI, Roof scams).
We have worked from the same Arlington office, 4275 Little Rd #202, since 2017, and every job carries our 5-year labor warranty.
Hail damage roof repair by city
We repair hail and wind damage across Dallas-Fort Worth, and the cities below get their own pages with local detail: the permit office, the housing stock we see most, and how far each city sits from our Arlington office. Start with the one closest to you:
- Arlington hail damage roof repair
- Fort Worth hail damage roof repair
- Grand Prairie hail damage roof repair
- Mansfield hail damage roof repair
- North Richland Hills hail damage roof repair
- Haltom City hail damage roof repair
Dated notes on recent DFW storms, with links to the official storm reports, are posted on our storm updates page.
Sources
- Texas Department of Insurance, Hail damage to your home or car? What to do next
- Texas Department of Insurance, Roofing and insurance: Know the law
- Texas Department of Insurance, State law cracks down on roof scams
- Texas Department of Insurance, Impact-resistant roofing discounts
- Texas Business and Commerce Code, Chapter 27 (Section 27.02, insurance deductibles)
- Texas Legislature, HB 2102 (86th Legislature), enrolled text