What to Do After a Hailstorm Hits Your Colorado Springs Home

Step 1: Stay Safe and Assess from the Ground

After a hailstorm passes, your first priority is safety. Never climb on your roof to inspect damage yourself — wet surfaces and damaged materials create serious fall hazards.

From the ground, look for:

• Dented gutters or downspouts
• Damaged siding or window screens
• Shingle granules in gutters or at downspout exits
• Visible dents or missing shingles (use binoculars if needed)
• Damaged outdoor AC units, vents, or skylights

Step 2: Document Everything

Before touching anything, document the damage:

• Take photos and videos of all visible damage — roof, siding, gutters, windows, cars, landscaping
• Note the date and time of the storm
• Save weather reports — the National Weather Service records hail size and storm paths
• Check with neighbors — widespread damage strengthens insurance claims

Step 3: Prevent Further Damage

If you have active leaks:

• Place buckets under drips to protect flooring and furniture
• Move valuables away from affected areas
• Call for emergency tarping if the damage is severe — this is a covered expense under most insurance policies

Important: Your insurance policy requires you to mitigate further damage. Ignoring a leak can give your insurer grounds to deny additional damage claims.

Step 4: Contact Your Insurance Company

File your claim as soon as possible. When you call:

• Provide the storm date and your policy number
• Describe the damage you've documented
• Ask about your deductible and coverage limits
• Request an adjuster inspection — don't accept a desk adjustment based on photos alone

Know Your Rights

• You have the right to choose your own contractor — your insurance company cannot force you to use their preferred vendor
• You have the right to be present during the adjuster's inspection
• You have the right to supplement the claim if the initial estimate is insufficient

Step 5: Get a Professional Inspection

A qualified roofing contractor can identify damage that's invisible from the ground. Hail damage to asphalt shingles often looks like:

• Circular dents in the shingle surface where granules are displaced
• Bruised spots that feel soft when pressed
• Cracked or fractured shingles — especially on ridge caps
• Exposed fiberglass mat where granules were knocked off

At Cornerstone Roofing, we provide free storm damage inspections. We'll document every point of damage, meet with your insurance adjuster, and make sure nothing gets missed.

Step 6: Don't Wait Too Long

In Colorado, most insurance policies have a one-year deadline to file hail damage claims from the date of the storm. After that window closes, you're paying out of pocket.

Some storms are well-documented with specific dates. If your area was hit, check your roof even if you don't see obvious damage — hail damage can be subtle but reduces your roof's lifespan significantly.

Free Storm Damage Inspection

If your home was recently hit by hail, don't wait. Call (719) 600-7852 or contact us online for a free inspection. We'll assess the damage, help you file your claim, and restore your roof to peak condition.