Cheap Ways to Hail-Proof Your Home Before Storm Season

If you live anywhere on the South Plains, you know the drill. The sky turns that weird shade of green, the wind kicks up, and a few minutes later it sounds like somebody’s emptying a gravel truck onto the house. Hail season is part of life in places like Lubbock. It’s hard on roofs, and it’s hard on budgets.

Here’s the good part. A lot of storm prep costs little or nothing, and a few hours of planning in the off-season can save you money, stress and a long wait for repairs when the whole town is calling for help at once. A trusted Lubbock roofing contractor can also tell you which steps matter most for your particular house.

Walk around the house (free)

Before you spend a dime, grab your phone and walk around the outside of the house on a calm day. You’re looking for curled, cracked or missing shingles, loose flashing around the chimney and vents, gutters that sag or pull away from the fascia, tree limbs hanging over the roof, and any screens, skylights or vents that already show damage.

Take clear photos of every side of the house and as much of the roof as you can see from the ground, and save them in a dated folder. Those “before” pictures cost nothing and can be a big help if you ever file an insurance claim. Please don’t climb onto the roof. A fall costs far more than any repair.

Trim the trees on your schedule

Overhanging limbs can turn a hailstorm into something much worse when high winds snap branches onto the roof. Trimming small branches yourself is cheap. Booking a tree service for the big ones in the off-season is usually easier, and sometimes cheaper, than trying to find anyone the week after a storm. Keep limbs well clear of the roofline and the power lines, and hire a pro for anything large or near the utilities.

Clean the gutters

Of all the cheap jobs, this one pays off best. Clogged gutters can’t keep up with the heavy rain that tends to come with hail, and water backs up under the roof edge. Clear them, make sure the downspouts send water away from the foundation, tighten any loose brackets. An afternoon. Maybe a few dollars in hardware.

Read your insurance policy now

Pull out your homeowner’s policy while nothing’s wrong. Here’s what to look for:

1. Your wind and hail deductible. In a lot of hail-prone areas it’s a percentage of your home’s insured value instead of a flat dollar amount, so work out the actual number.
2. Replacement cost or actual cash value. This decides how much you’d get for an older roof.
3. Claim deadlines. Many policies want damage reported promptly.
4. Discounts. Some insurers give premium considerations for impact-resistant roofing, so ask your agent.

The Insurance Information Institute has plain-language guides to homeowner coverage that are worth a quick read.

Put together a tiny storm kit

Nothing fancy. A flashlight and batteries, a tarp and some bungee cords for a broken window or damaged patio furniture, a couple of buckets and old towels for drips, a charged power bank, and copies of your policy with the contact numbers saved in your phone. You probably own most of this already. Put it all in one bin in the garage so you’re not hunting for the flashlight when the sirens start.

Protect the car without spending much

Hail damage to cars gets expensive. If the garage is full of stuff, clear out enough room before the season starts. In a pinch, thick blankets or a padded car cover give some protection, and plenty of people just watch the forecast and move the car to covered parking when storms are coming.

Book a free professional inspection

Some problems simply can’t be seen from the ground. Bruised shingles, cracked ridge caps and small punctures let water in slowly over months. Many roofing companies offer free inspections, and getting one before storm season tells you where your roof stands at no cost. A good roofer may fly a drone and give you a written report, which you can file next to your own photos. If something needs fixing, you get to fix a small problem now instead of a big one after the next storm.

When it’s finally time to replace

If the roof is near the end of its life, look at impact-resistant shingles for the replacement. Shingles rated Class 4 under the UL 2218 standard are designed to stand up better to hail. They cost more upfront, but in a region that gets hammered as often as this one, they may cut repair costs and could qualify for insurance discounts. Run the numbers for your house and get quotes for both options.

If the hail hits anyway

Stay inside until the storm has completely passed. Then take photos of any visible damage, including dented gutters, torn screens and beat-up siding, and check the ceilings and the attic for leaks. If water’s coming in, ask about emergency tarping. And be careful with door-to-door “storm chasers” who push you to sign on the spot.

You can’t skip hail season. You can decide how ready you are for it, though, and a little time spent walking the property, cleaning gutters, trimming trees, reading the policy and getting a free inspection is what keeps one stormy afternoon from turning into a month that wrecks the budget.