What to Do the Day After a Hailstorm in North Texas

The short version: document everything from the ground today, get an independent inspection in writing, and don't sign anything a door-knocker hands you. Everything else can wait a few days without hurting you. These five things can't.

Hour one — write down the storm

Your insurance claim is anchored to a date of loss. Note the date, roughly what time the hail fell, and how big it was compared to something ordinary: pea, marble, quarter, golf ball, baseball. If you have a video from a doorbell camera or a phone, save it somewhere that isn't just your camera roll. Adjusters take dated evidence seriously and take memory much less seriously.

Hour two — photograph from the ground, before cleanup

Do not get on the roof. Wet shingles after hail are genuinely dangerous, and you don't need roof photos to open a claim. Photograph:

• Hailstones next to a coin or a ruler, before they melt. This is the single most valuable photo you can take.
• The concrete where downspouts drain — piles of dark granules mean your shingle surface got hit.
• Dents along the top lip of the gutters and on downspouts.
• Metal roof vents, turbines, and chimney caps — round dents in soft metal are near-proof of a real event.
• Window screens, AC condenser fins, mailboxes, fence caps, patio furniture, and car hoods.
• Any interior water stain, plus a wide shot of the room it's in.

Our hail damage photo guide shows what each of these looks like when it's real versus when it's just weathering.

Same day — stop active water, but only temporarily

If water is coming in, put down buckets and plastic, move furniture off wet carpet, and photograph it first. If a limb went through the roof or a section is open to the sky, that needs covering today — insurance can deny damage that got worse because the roof sat exposed. That's what emergency roof repair and same-day tarping is for. Don't attempt a tarp yourself on a wet roof.

Day one or two — get an independent inspection in writing

Before you call your insurer, you want to know whether you actually have damage worth claiming. A filed claim that gets denied still sits on your record. A written inspection report with photos gives you three things: a yes-or-no answer, a paper trail with a date on it, and a scope your adjuster has to respond to rather than write from scratch.

We do this free, we put the answer in writing either way, and we tell people their roof is fine more often than they expect. Book a free roof inspection or call (945) 298-3335.

The porch conversation — what not to sign

Within 24 hours of a hail event, out-of-state crews will be walking your street. Some are fine. Many are not, and the tell is always the paperwork:

• Never sign an "authorization to inspect." That document is frequently a contract assigning your claim to them.
• Walk away from anyone offering to "cover" or "waive" your deductible. That's insurance fraud in Texas, and you'd be a party to it.
• No money before work starts. A large upfront deposit before materials are ordered is the classic pattern.
• Ask where their office is. Ours is on Alma Drive in Plano. If the answer is a truck and a phone number, your warranty is worth nothing once they've left the state.
• Get everything in writing: underlayment type, decking allowance, ventilation, warranty length, who pulls the permit.

Then — decide about the claim, with information

Once you have a report in hand, you can weigh it properly. If the damage clearly exceeds your deductible, file, and we'll meet the adjuster on the roof and document every slope — the walkthrough is on the roof insurance claim page and in detail in the Texas claim guide. If the damage is marginal, compare it against the 2026 replacement cost ranges before filing anything.

One deadline to keep in view: most Texas carriers give you one year from the date of the storm, and some policies are shorter. Don't let a spring storm sit until next spring.

Wind and limbs, not just hail

Most North Texas hail arrives with 60-plus mph straight-line wind, and wind damage is sneakier — a shingle can be creased and unsealed while still lying flat and looking perfect. Details are on the storm damage roof repair page.

We respond across Plano, Allen, Frisco, McKinney, Murphy, Wylie, Parker, and Richardson.

Written by

Giovanni Esoto

SEO Specialist & Content Writer

Five years of SEO and content experience focused on useful, locally relevant homeowner guidance.

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Reviewed for roofing accuracy by

Curtis Dunn

Owner & Roofing Subject Matter Expert

Homebase Roofing reviews technical roofing details for accuracy and North Texas relevance. This content is not legal, engineering, or insurance advice.