Hurricane and Wind Damage to Your Houston Roof: The 72-Hour Checklist

Hazards first: downed lines, limbs on the roof, sagging ceilings, water near electrical. Stay off the roof. If water is coming in, get a tarp scheduled.

From the ground, photograph every side of the house, shingles in the yard, gutters, fences, screens, and any water inside. Save the date and the storm name. This turns 'my roof is damaged' into a documented event.

Get an insured, local roofer on the roof with a camera. Wind damage is creased and missing shingles, peeled ridge caps, and lifted flashing. Creases don't show from the ground and are what adjusters count.

Know your deductible. Houston policies commonly carry a separate windstorm or named-storm deductible of 1 to 5 percent of dwelling coverage, and coastal counties may be covered through TWIA. A $400,000 house at 2 percent is $8,000 out of pocket. If the documented damage is close to that, a claim may not help you.

If the inspection supports it, file, schedule the adjuster, and have your roofer attend. The insurer issues a scope and an actual-cash-value payment, holding depreciation until the work is complete.

Out-of-state crews flood Houston after every major storm. Verify a physical local address, insurance certificate, and references. Texas law bars roofers from waiving your deductible, and any 'free roof' offer is fraud.

LocalFixQuotes is a free matching service, not a roofing company or public adjuster. We connect Houston homeowners with insured local roofers who tarp, document, and repair storm damage.