What to Do in the First 24 Hours After a Kansas Hailstorm

A big hailstorm just rolled through. The yard looks like a golf driving range, your car has dents, and you're standing in the driveway staring up at your roof wondering how bad it is. Sound familiar? We get calls like this every spring and summer, and the biggest mistake people make is either panicking or ignoring it. Both can cost you.

Right away: document everything

Grab your phone and start taking photos. The hail on the ground, any visible damage to siding and gutters, your car, the date and time - all of it. You don't need to get on the roof. Just shoot what you can see from the ground. If you've got a neighbor whose house took similar hits, snap a few pictures of their damage too. This stuff matters when the insurance company wants proof of the storm's severity.

Save the weather reports from that day. Pull up the local news on your phone, screenshot the radar, whatever. Insurance adjusters love documentation, and the more you have from day one, the smoother your claim goes.

Call your insurance company - don't wait

This is where timing matters. Most policies have a window for reporting storm damage, and some are shorter than you'd think. Call your insurance company within 24 hours and let them know you want to file a claim. You don't need a full damage report yet - just get it on record. Tell them the date of the storm, that you have visible damage, and that you'll be getting a professional inspection.

Get an inspection, but watch out for storm chasers

Within a day or two of any big hailstorm, out-of-state roofing crews start showing up in neighborhoods with door knockers and clipboard deals. They'll tell you they can get your whole roof replaced for free through insurance. Some of them are fine. A lot of them aren't. They do the work, leave town, and when something goes wrong six months later, good luck finding them.

Use a local roofer. Someone with a real address, real reviews, and a reason to care about their reputation in the community. We've been doing this in the KC metro for years and we're not going anywhere. When we do an inspection, we give you a detailed report you can use with your insurance company - whether you hire us or not.

What not to do

Don't try to do your own roof repairs right away. If you've got a leak, put a bucket under it and call a pro. Temporary tarping is fine if water is actively coming in, but don't go nailing shingles down yourself - you might accidentally void your insurance claim or create more damage. And please, don't get up on a wet roof after a storm. It's not worth it.

Bottom line - stay calm, take pictures, call your insurance, and get a local roofer out there. That's it. We'll handle the rest. Call us at (913) 605-0073.