TL;DR
After a storm, the week that follows decides most of the cost: document damage with timestamped photos, tarp active leaks the same day (typically reimbursable), and get an inspection while damage still dates to the storm. Small wind repairs run $200 to $500, storm leaks $300 to $1,100, hail repairs average $4,250, and a totaled roof means an insurance claim against your 1 to 2% wind/hail deductible. Never sign with a door-knocker offering to waive that deductible; it’s illegal in Texas.
Storms here don’t do one kind of damage. The same front can drop hail on one street, peel shingles off the next with straight-line wind, and drive rain under the flashing two blocks over. What happens in the week after decides most of the cost, so here’s the whole path from storm to repaired roof: what to check, what it costs, and how the insurance piece fits in.
What does storm damage look like on a roof?
Wind and hail leave different fingerprints. Wind lifts and creases shingles in directional lines, usually along edges, ridges, and corners where pressure peaks, and most policies treat wind damage as claimable once gusts exceed 50 to 60 mph. Hail leaves round bruises and granule loss scattered across slopes, plus dents in gutters and vents. Both also attack the spots you can’t see from the ground: chimney flashing, vent pipes, and valleys.
The trap is damage that doesn’t leak yet. A creased shingle sheds water for months before it tears off, and a hail bruise fails the following summer. By then, connecting the damage to the storm gets harder, which matters because that connection is what your insurance coverage rides on. If you’re unsure which kind of damage you’re looking at, wind and hail patterns differ enough that the distinction can change your claim.
What should you do in the first 48 hours after a storm?
Document, stabilize, inspect, in that order. Note the storm date and photograph everything visible from the ground: shingles in the yard, dented gutters, granules at downspouts. If water is coming in, get it stopped with emergency tarping the same day, and keep the receipt because reasonable emergency measures are typically reimbursable. Then book a documented inspection within the week, while damage and storm still line up cleanly.
What you shouldn’t do is climb the roof or sign with a door-knocker. Storm chasers work this area within hours of every event, and deals that start with “we’ll waive your deductible” are illegal in Texas. A local contractor with a written, photographed report will still be here when the warranty question comes up in year five.
How much does storm damage roof repair cost?
Most storm repairs are smaller than homeowners fear. Wind-blown shingles run $200 to $500 to replace, flashing repairs similar, and a typical storm leak lands between $300 and $1,100. Hail pushes higher, averaging around $4,250, and a roof totaled by widespread hail means replacement at $8,000 to $22,000, which is exactly the scenario insurance exists for.
| Storm repair scenario | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Wind-blown shingle replacement | $200 to $500 |
| Flashing or vent repair | $200 to $500 |
| Typical storm leak repair | $300 to $1,100 |
| Emergency tarping (usually insurance-reimbursable) | $1,200 to $2,500 |
| Hail damage repair, average | ~$4,250 |
| Full replacement after a totaled roof | $8,000 to $22,000 |
Remember the deductible math before filing: most Texas policies carry a separate wind and hail deductible of 1 to 2% of your dwelling coverage. Damage below that number is better paid out of pocket, and damage well above it deserves a properly documented claim. We put the repair number in writing first so you can make that call with real figures.
How does the insurance claim actually work?
Documentation decides it. Dated photos, an inspection report identifying damage by slope, and your contractor at the adjuster meeting are what separate approved claims from disputed ones. Once filed, Texas law requires your insurer to acknowledge within 15 days and decide within 15 business days of having what it needs, and most policies expect claims within about a year of the storm.
Our insurance claim concierge handles that packet end to end: pre-claim documentation, the adjuster walk, and scope-matching so the settlement covers what the storm actually hit. And if the damage doesn’t justify a claim, you get that in writing too, before your carrier hears anything.
Can you storm-proof a roof before the next one?
You can move the odds. Class 4 impact-rated shingles and metal systems take hail that totals standard shingles, and some Texas insurers discount premiums for them. Keeping trees trimmed back, gutters clear, and flashing sealed removes the weak points wind exploits first. None of it makes a roof stormproof, but it’s the difference between a $400 repair and a $15,000 claim after the same front.
The cheapest preparation is a documented healthy-roof inspection before storm season. It costs nothing, catches the loose details wind hunts for, and gives you the dated before photos that make any future claim easier to prove.
Get the storm assessment done right
After a storm, speed matters twice: fast stabilization stops the damage from growing, and fast documentation keeps the claim provable. Both get harder with every week that passes.
BH Roofing is a GAF Master Elite® contractor serving greater San Antonio, with 12-hour emergency response, photo-documented inspections, and claim coordination through completion. Schedule your free storm damage inspection or call (210) 267-9029.
