A step-by-step guide for North Alabama homeowners after a hail event.
Step 1: Document the storm
Save weather alerts and screenshots from radar apps showing hail in your zip code.
Step 2: Look — but don't climb
Check gutters, downspouts, AC fins, and screens for dents from the ground.
Step 3: Schedule a free inspection
A trained roofer will chalk-test bruise patterns and determine whether the damage justifies a claim.
Step 4: File the claim with documentation
Damage that's properly documented gets approved. Damage that isn't gets denied.
Step 5: Meet the adjuster on-site
Always have your roofer there when the adjuster climbs the roof.
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Local Factors That Change What To Do After Hail Damage in Huntsville
River-valley humidity across Madison, Morgan, and Limestone Counties feeds algae streaking and keeps decking damp after leaks. Moisture that lingers is what takes a minor flashing failure into rotted sheathing.
Local code matters too. Roofing work inside Huntsville city limits follows the International Residential Code as adopted locally, which sets nailing patterns, drip edge, underlayment, and attic ventilation minimums — and allows no more than two roof coverings before a full tear-off is required. When a roof is replaced, the new installation has to meet current code even if the old one predated it.
What to Do Next
- 1Photograph what you can see from the ground, including gutters and downspouts, and note the date.
- 2Check the attic with a flashlight for daylight, damp insulation, or dark staining on the decking.
- 3Contain interior water with a bucket and move furniture before anyone gets on the roof.
- 4Get a roof-level inspection with photos of your own roof, not a generic report.
- 5Ask whether the condition is repairable, and what the remaining service life of the roof is.