What to Do After a Hailstorm: Your First 48 Hours

Published October 16, 2026 by Roaring Ranger Roofing

The hail has stopped, the sky is clearing, and the yard is covered in ice and shredded leaves. Knowing what to do after a hailstorm can save you a lot of stress, and the first two days matter. This checklist walks you through the steps in order, starting with keeping everyone safe and ending with getting a professional look at the roof.

Right after the storm: safety first

Before you think about shingles, make sure the storm is really over and your household is safe.

• Wait for the all-clear. Hail often arrives with lightning, strong winds, and sometimes tornado warnings. Stay inside until the storm has fully passed and local warnings have expired.
• Watch for downed power lines. Treat any fallen line as live. Keep people and pets away and report it to your electric provider.
• Check for gas smells. If you smell gas, leave the house and call the gas company or 911 from a safe distance.
• Look out for hanging limbs. Branches cracked by hail and wind can fall hours later.
• Stay off the roof. A roof right after a storm is wet, littered with ice and loose granules, and may have damaged spots you can't see. Climbing up is how storm cleanup turns into a trip to the emergency room.

Hours 1 to 6: check inside and protect your belongings

Once it's safe to move around, start indoors.

1. Look at ceilings and upper walls for new stains, drips, or bubbling paint, especially in rooms below valleys, chimneys, and skylights.
2. Check around windows and doors for water coming in or cracked glass.
3. If water is coming in, put buckets or towels down, move furniture and electronics out of the way, and keep the area clear. If a ceiling is bulging with water, keep people out from under it.
4. Cover broken windows from the inside if you can do it safely, using plastic sheeting or plywood.
5. Write down what you see and when. Note the date and time the storm hit and anything you notice inside. The Texas Department of Insurance suggests taking pictures and video of storm damage and keeping a list of what was damaged, inside and out.

Don't climb onto the roof to cover a hole. Temporary fixes from the ground or inside are fine. Anything on the roof itself should wait for someone with the right equipment, once conditions are safe.

Hours 6 to 24: walk the outside from the ground

Daylight is your friend here. Walk around the house and look for clues that the roof was hit:

• Dents in gutters, downspouts, and metal vents. These are often the easiest signs of hail to spot.
• Granules piled at downspout outlets. Fresh drifts of what looks like coarse sand mean shingles have lost some of their coating.
• Shingle pieces in the yard or on the driveway.
• Damage to AC units, siding, window screens, fences, and outdoor furniture. If hail dented or cracked these, it hit the roof too.
• Vehicles. Dented cars in the driveway are a strong hint about the size and force of the hail.

Binoculars help you see the roof surface without a ladder. Our earlier guide on spotting storm damage safely from the ground goes into more detail, and our post on hail marks on shingles explains what hail does to them.

Hours 24 to 48: start the paperwork

Contact your insurance company

If you see damage or suspect it, reach out to your insurance company or agent. Ask them:

• Whether your policy covers wind and hail
• What your wind and hail deductible is
• How long you have to report damage under your policy
• What documentation they want from you
• Whether temporary repairs to prevent more damage are covered, and how to submit receipts

Keep a simple log of every call: who you spoke with, the date, and what they said. Hold on to damaged items until your insurer says it's okay to throw them out.

Know where the deductible stands

In Texas, the homeowner must pay the deductible on a property insurance claim. It's illegal for a contractor to offer to waive it, rebate it, or build it into an inflated estimate. If someone makes that offer, that's a reason to find another contractor.

Get the roof looked at

A professional inspection tells you what the hail actually did, which helps you have an informed conversation with your insurer. Roaring Ranger Roofing offers a free roof inspection and explains what we find in plain language. We'll help you follow how a claim typically moves, but you remain in charge of it; we don't act as a public adjuster or negotiate on your behalf. Details are on the insurance claims page.

Watch out for storm chasers

After a big hailstorm, out-of-town contractors often canvass neighborhoods, knock on doors, and leave flyers. Not all of them are bad, but be careful with anyone who:

• Pressures you to sign something on the spot
• Asks you to sign a paper "just so we can get on the roof"
• Wants a large payment before any work starts
• Offers to cover your deductible
• Can't give you a local address and phone number

Take your time. A real roofing problem will still be there tomorrow, and a reputable contractor will give you room to think.

Don't rush permanent repairs

It's natural to want everything fixed right away, but making permanent repairs or replacing the roof before your insurer has had a chance to see the damage can complicate your claim. Focus on preventing more damage, document everything, and let the process play out. Once you know what's covered, you can plan a roof repair or roof replacement with a clear picture.

Your 48-hour checklist at a glance

• Stay safe: power lines, gas, limbs, and stay off the roof
• Check ceilings, walls, and windows inside
• Contain any leaks and protect belongings
• Note the date, time, and damage you see
• Walk the outside from the ground
• Call your insurer or agent with your questions
• Schedule a professional roof inspection
• Steer clear of high-pressure door knockers

Call when you need us

We offer 24/7 emergency service by phone, so you can talk through next steps even if the storm hits in the middle of the night. We cover Ranger, Eastland, Fort Worth, and plenty of places in between. You'll find more answers in the FAQ and on the storm and hail damage page.

Dial (254) 488-1342 to book your free inspection, or request a free estimate.