If a storm just rolled through Tulsa and you’re standing in your driveway staring up at your roof trying to figure out if something’s wrong — you’re not alone. I get calls after every major storm from homeowners who don’t know what they’re looking at or what to do next. So let me walk you through it the same way I would if I were standing there with you.
First — don’t panic, but don’t ignore it either.
A lot of homeowners make one or two mistakes after a storm. They either assume the worst and think they need a whole new roof when they might just need repair, or they assume everything’s fine because they don’t see any obvious damage from the ground. Both can cost you money. The best way to know what you’re dealing with is to get someone up on that roof.
Here’s what I look for when I pull up to a storm-damaged home in Tulsa.
The first thing I check before I even get out of the truck is the gutters and downspouts. If hail comes through, you’re going to see dents. It takes more force to dent a gutter than to damage a shingle, so if the gutters took a hit, the roof did too. I also check the AC unit, the window screens, and any painted wood around the exterior. Hail doesn’t just hit roofs — it hits everything. If I see damage on the ground level, I already know what I’m going to find up top.
Next, I get on the roof. From the ground you might be able to spot missing shingles or shingles that have lifted — and those are real problems — but the damage that gets missed most often is hail damage. A fresh hail hit leaves a bruise on the shingle where the granules have been knocked off. It doesn’t look like much at first, but once that protective layer is gone, the sun starts breaking down the asphalt underneath. That’s when real aging begins.
Wind damage is a little different. Sometimes shingles blow completely off — you’ll find them in the yard or the neighbor’s yard. But sometimes the wind just lifts the shingle enough to break the mastic seal underneath without removing it. The shingle looks fine from the ground. It’s not fine.
Should you file a claim?
That’s the question everyone wants to answer. Here’s my honest take: if we find legitimate hail or wind damage, yes — file it. That’s what your homeowner’s insurance is for. Oklahoma gets hammered by storms, and most policies cover this. You paid your premiums, so don’t be shy about using the coverage when you need it.
What I tell every homeowner is this — get the inspection first, then decide. I’ve been on plenty of roofs after a storm where the damage wasn’t bad enough to warrant a claim, and I told the homeowner exactly that. I’d rather you trust me with the next roof than feel like I pushed you into something you didn’t need.
Don’t wait too long.
This is the part where I sound like a broken record, but it’s important. A damaged roof in Oklahoma storm season is like an open wound. Every storm that comes through after the first one makes it worse. A few missing shingles turn into a leak. A leak turns into rotted decking. Rotted decking turns into a much bigger repair bill. If something happens to your roof, make a call soon.
If you’re in Tulsa or the surrounding area and you just went through a storm, give Green Country Roofing a call at (918) 607-7409. We’ll get out there, get on the roof, and give you an honest assessment of what you’re dealing with, no pressure, no runaround.