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After a hailstorm: the first 72 hours for a commercial or association roof
What you do in the first three days after hail shapes the repair, the insurance claim and how quickly your building gets back to normal. Here's a plan for owners, property managers and HOA boards.
Why the first three days matter
Colorado's hail season runs from roughly mid-April to mid-August, and the Front Range sees some of the most frequent hail in the country. When a storm hits, three things happen at once: water may be getting into the building, evidence of the storm starts to fade, and contractors you've never heard of start knocking on doors.
Commercial and association roofs add complications. Damage to a low-slope roof often isn't visible from the ground, a large community may have dozens of roofs to check, and decisions may need a board's approval. A short, written plan keeps everyone moving in the right direction.
Hours 0 to 12: safety and water
- Check inside first. Walk top floors, stairwells, corridors and units under the roof for active leaks, wet ceiling tiles and water near electrical equipment.
- Protect people and contents. Move equipment and records away from leaks, put down buckets and plastic, and cordon off wet floors.
- Stay off the roof. Wet membranes are slippery, skylights can be cracked, edges may be damaged and hail can still be lying in drifts. Leave rooftop checks to a crew with fall protection.
- Call us first if water is coming in. A temporary repair now prevents wet insulation and interior damage later. Call (720) 296-0000 or report a leak.
Hours 12 to 24: document everything
Good records make the claim easier, and they're easiest to gather while the storm is fresh.
- Write down the date and time the storm hit, how long it lasted and the largest hail anyone saw.
- Photograph hailstones next to a coin or ruler if any are still on the ground.
- Photograph damage you can see safely from the ground: dented gutters, downspouts and edge metal, damaged HVAC condenser fins, torn window screens, broken skylights or lights, dented vehicles and damaged landscaping.
- Photograph interior water before cleanup, with a wide shot of the room and close-ups of stains.
- Keep a log of every call, visit and decision, with names and times.
- Save storm information. National Weather Service storm reports and local news coverage help establish the storm date for your file.
Hours 24 to 48: notify and mitigate
Notify your insurance
Contact your insurance agent or carrier and report the storm promptly. Most commercial and association policies require timely notice and set deadlines for filing and for completing repairs. Read your policy or ask your agent what applies, and ask how your wind and hail deductible works, since many Colorado policies use a percentage-based deductible.
Prevent further damage
Policies generally expect you to take reasonable steps to prevent more damage. That means temporary repairs to stop active leaks: patches, tarps or temporary membrane over punctures and broken skylights. Photograph the damage before and after the temporary repair, and keep the invoice. Hold off on permanent repairs until the adjuster has seen the roof, unless waiting would cause more damage.
For associations: the board and residents
- Manager to board. The community manager should brief the board president with what's known, what's being done and what decisions are needed.
- Check authority. Your governing documents set who can approve emergency repairs between meetings. Know that before a vendor asks for a signature.
- Tell residents. A short notice: the association is aware of the storm, has started an inspection, where to report leaks, and a request not to sign individual roofing contracts for association-maintained roofs.
Hours 48 to 72: get a professional inspection
Hail damage on commercial roofs is often subtle. A trained inspector looks for:
- Punctures, fractures and bruising in single-ply membranes, sometimes visible only on close inspection
- Cracked or crushed cover board and insulation beneath an intact-looking membrane
- Damaged seams and flashings
- Granule loss and fractures on modified bitumen and other granule-surfaced roofs
- Dented metal panels, edge metal, coping and vents
- Broken skylights, damaged rooftop equipment and clogged drains full of hail and debris
On low-slope roofs, the inspector may take small test cuts to check the layers beneath. Where water may have entered, an infrared moisture survey shows new wet areas before they show up as leaks.
Don't forget what sits on the roof. Hail often damages condenser coils, fan housings and rooftop unit panels. Ask your HVAC contractor to check equipment so that damage can be included in the same claim.
When you call for an inspection, it helps to have ready the storm date, the addresses and number of buildings, any known leaks, roof access arrangements, and your policy information if you'd like help preparing for the adjuster.
You should receive a written report with photos for each roof, the storm date, the damage found and recommended next steps. Associations should ask for findings by building.
Be careful with storm-chasing contractors
After every big storm, out-of-state crews arrive, knock on doors and offer free inspections. Some do honest work. Others disappear before warranty issues show up. Before you sign anything:
- Confirm a local address, a local phone number and a history in the area.
- Ask for proof of insurance and licensing for your jurisdiction.
- Don't sign a contract, authorization or "inspection agreement" on the spot. Read it, and have your manager, board or attorney review it.
- Expect a written contract. Colorado law requires one for many roofing jobs, and any reputable contractor provides one regardless.
No deductible deals. Under Colorado law, a roofing contractor can't pay, waive or rebate your insurance deductible. An offer to "take care of the deductible" is a red flag.
After 72 hours: the adjuster and the scope
The adjuster will schedule a visit. Have your roofer meet the adjuster on the roof, walk the damage together and show any test cuts. If the adjuster's estimate misses items, your roofer can document them for a supplement. Once the scope is agreed, schedule the work, keep residents or tenants informed, and keep every document in one place. Our guide to association hail claims covers the rest of the process.
A one-page checklist
Safety and leaks
Check inside, protect people and contents, keep staff off the roof, call for emergency repair.
Document
Storm date and time, hail size, ground-level photos, interior photos, a written log.
Notify
Insurance agent or carrier, board president, residents or tenants.
Mitigate
Temporary repairs with before-and-after photos and receipts.
Inspect
A professional roof inspection with a written, photo-documented report.
Hail damage FAQs
How do I know if hail damaged our flat roof?
Often you can't tell from the ground. Signs like dented gutters, damaged HVAC fins or broken skylights suggest the roof was hit hard enough to check. A professional inspection with close examination and test cuts is the reliable answer.
Should we file a claim before getting an inspection?
Notify your carrier promptly as your policy requires. An inspection then tells you whether there's damage worth pursuing. Your agent can explain how notice and filing work under your policy.
Can we make repairs before the adjuster comes?
Make temporary repairs to stop active leaks and prevent further damage, with photos and receipts. Hold permanent repairs until the adjuster has seen the roof unless waiting would make things worse.
Can a contractor cover our deductible?
No. Colorado law prohibits roofing contractors from paying, waiving or rebating an insurance deductible.
Will you meet our adjuster?
Yes. We meet adjusters on the roof, walk the damage together and document anything that needs to be added to the scope.