Roof contractor urges homeowners to have roofs assessed for damage after Wednesday's hailstorm

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Local Austin roof repair business Quality Exteriors said that even if homeowners are not seeing leaks after the Wednesday hailstorm, their roofs may still be damaged. 

The Wednesday storm brought damaging winds, large hail, and localized flooding, leading to widespread damage across Austin. Dustin Golden of Quality Exteriors said he and his team have been busy ever since. 

“This has been one of the busiest times,” Golden said. “We have seen trees on people's roofs. We've been seeing a lot of just general hail damage on roofs in Austin.”

Leaks are a clear indication that a roof has been damaged in a storm. However, even if it is not leaking, Golden advised people to have their roofs inspected if hail moved through their area.

“You have to get it checked out to see if there is actual damage,” he said. “You might not have a leak now, but the hail's impact could lead to one in the future.”

Golden said most insurance policies cover hail-related damage, and that it’s best for a homeowner to act quickly to ensure eligibility.

“The sooner the better,” he said. “I’d highly recommend at least getting it all documented.”

Documenting includes things like taking photos and videos. Also, reporting any issues, even minor ones, to protect long-term property value.

If a quick fix was needed to repair damage immediately after the storm, Rich Johnson from the Insurance Council of Texas said to save receipts, as insurance companies often reimburse for those purchases. 

“Let's say, you have a broken window and you need to put a piece of plywood over it… that could be reimbursable,” Johnson said.

And while both Johnson and Golden recommended having your property assessed after a storm by a contractor, they both encouraged homeowners to be wary of fraudulent companies. 

"During storm season like this, we will see contractors and roofers who come from out of town looking to take advantage of the situation,” Johnson said. 

One “red flag” would be if a contractor offers to waive a deductible, he said.

“That is totally illegal in Texas,” Johnson said. 

Johnson recommended taking photos of a contractor’s license plate, ensuring the company is based locally and checking for positive reviews.

“Your insurance company may have a list of preferred contractors in the area," Johnson said. "Oftentimes, you'll get a little bit of an extra warranty if you do go with one of those preferred contractors.”