Storm Damage

Key Takeaways

  • Water that hasn’t drained in 48 to 72 hours is a warning. Standing water on a low-slope roof right after a storm is normal. Water that neither drains nor evaporates within that window is not, and leaving it there turns a drainage issue into structural damage and a larger repair.
  • Dented air conditioning units point straight at the roof. If hail hit hard enough to dent the condenser, it hit the roof with the same force. That dented unit may also qualify for replacement under your policy, which makes it worth documenting alongside the roof.
  • Broken glass on a roof is both a hazard and a puncture risk. Storms deposit trash and glass along with branches. Glass can puncture a roof system outright, and it injures anyone walking the roof during an inspection. Handle storm debris carefully rather than clearing it by hand and by eye.
  • Debris clogs drains before it does anything else. Leaves, branches, twigs, and dirt blown onto the roof block drains and gutters, which backs water up and creates leaks. Check gutters and downspouts specifically, since they collect what the wind moved off the roof.
  • Low-slope membranes fail by puncture and uplift. Debris and branches puncture the membrane, hail bruises it, and high wind can pull up the roof’s layers. Storms can also dislodge rooftop mechanical equipment, which damages the membrane where the unit shifted.

When a storm hits the Dallas area, it can have quite an impact on your property’s roof. There may be damage, although some signs of it aren’t as apparent as others. So, how do you know your roof has suffered damage? Here are some clues to look for when you inspect your property after a storm.

1. Visible Leaks

Excessive rain or other types of severe weather, such as hail, can cause your roof to leak. While standing water on the roof isn’t uncommon after a big storm, water that doesn’t drain or evaporate in 48 to 72 hours is a warning sign. This can cause greater damage and lead to more significant repairs.

2. Wet Ceiling Tile

Wet or stained ceiling tiles may be telling you the roof has sustained damage from a storm. Leaks from punctures or pooled water can result from severe rain, high winds, hail, and flying debris.

3. Downed Power Lines & Trees

Extremely high winds can cause damage to not only your roof but also the property grounds. Downed power lines and trees are obvious signs of a significant storm’s impact and are often an indicator that your roof has also sustained damage.

4. Debris Everywhere

High winds and heavy rain can spread debris all over your landscaping – and onto your roof. Leaves, branches, twigs, dirt, and other debris can clog your roof drains and lead to water leaks. They could also puncture your roof in some cases. Be sure to check your gutters and downspouts because they can become clogged with debris because of a storm.

5. Dents in Air Conditioning Units

Hail can cause damage to your roof and everything around it. If your air conditioning units have dents in them after the storm, there’s a good chance the roof has sustained damage, too. The good news is a damaged air conditioning unit may qualify for an insurance replacement.

6. Trash and Broken Glass

When a storm has passed, that doesn’t mean the danger has. Trash, specifically broken glass, is another safety hazard to watch out for. Not only are they a hazard to your roof, but to you and your maintenance team. Broken glass can easily puncture your roof system or cause bodily injury if you happen to step on a piece. Make sure to handle trash and debris with caution as you inspect your roof.

7. Missing Tiles and Shingles

Strong winds, hail, tornadoes all can damage your roof. Even without rain or hail, strong winds can create stress points on a roof that weaken over time. Flying debris, tree branches, and trash all can cause damage and tear away shingles and tiles.

Missing tiles and shingles are examples of a roof with sustained storm damage, even if it has accumulated over time. After the storm, look for missing, curled, cracked or torn shingles (mainly asphalt and composite shingles).

8. Membrane Punctures

Weather can do a number on the membranes of low-slope roofs, whether it’s punctures caused by debris and branches, by a hail storm, or by a windstorm that pulls up a roof’s layers.

Fierce storms can also dislodge mechanical equipment and other objects while causing them to move in ways that directly harm the roof, such as causing punctures.

If you notice signs of storm damage on your commercial building’s roof, call the professionals at KPost Company. We have the experience and know-how to repair your roof and prevent further damage.

FAQs

It is a report drawn from weather radar and ground station data showing whether hail fell at a specific address, on what date, and at what estimated stone size. Commercial claims frequently turn on this, because a carrier may question whether the reported event actually reached that building. The reports are widely available and inexpensive relative to a commercial claim. Pulling one early gives you a documented event date rather than an argument about one.

No, and it is worth being firm about it. A storm-damaged roof can have punctures hidden under debris, broken glass across the surface, saturated insulation that will not hold weight, dislodged equipment, and live electrical hazards from damaged rooftop units. Building staff generally lack fall protection and the training to use it. Photograph from the ground or from an upper window and let a contractor with the right equipment do the walk.

With documentation created before the storm, which is the whole argument for maintenance records. Recent inspection reports with dated photographs establish the roof’s condition going in, so damage that appears afterward has a clear before and after. Without that record, the discussion becomes one professional’s opinion against another’s, and the carrier’s position is that an older roof was already deteriorating. This is the single most valuable use of a maintenance program. Our commercial roof repair team works from prior inspection records when that question comes up with an adjuster.

Frequently, and the connection gets overlooked. Wind can shift a unit on its curb, which breaks the flashing seal at the perimeter of the curb even when the unit looks upright. Hail damages condenser fins and panels while the same impacts bruise the membrane around them. Equipment blown loose gouges the surface as it moves. Have the roof examined around every unit, not just the units themselves, and document both together for the claim.

Walk the top floor and the ceiling plenum before tenants report anything. Look for stained or sagging ceiling tiles, damp insulation above the grid, water tracking along structural steel or conduit, and any moisture near interior columns, since water often travels along steel before it drops. Check electrical and data rooms and any space with sensitive equipment first. Finding it yourself is far better than learning about it from a tenant.
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