Straight after the storm
Keep well away from fallen power lines and report them to your electricity distributor. Stay out of rooms with a sagging ceiling. For urgent storm help, like a roof opened up by wind or a tree through the house, contact the SES on 132 500, and call 000 if anyone is in danger.
What do hail and wind do to a roof?
Tiled roofs. Hail cracks and chips tiles, sometimes in ways you can't see from below. Monier, a major tile maker, says only the individual tiles a storm damages need replacing. Wind lifts tiles and ridge caps, and flying branches break whatever they land on.
Metal roofs. Hail dents sheets, gutters and downpipes. BlueScope says hail dents don't usually shorten the life of a Colorbond roof, but large dents on a low-pitched roof can hold water, and bent overlaps can let rain in. Dents may still count as damage on a claim. Strong gusts can peel sheets up at the edges if the screws were already loose.
Everything else. Hailstones and leaves pack into gutters and valleys, so water backs up under the roof edge. Skylights, whirlybirds and solar panels can crack or come loose too.
What to do in the days after
Photograph it from the ground
Shoot the roof, gutters, any fallen tiles or debris, and inside the house wherever water got in. Keep any broken tiles you find in the yard.
Tell your insurer
Lodge it early and ask what they need from you. Some insurers send their own assessor or builder; others ask you to get a roofer's quote and report.
Get the roof checked
A roofer can make it safe and record the damage. Ask for photos from up top and a written note saying what's storm damage and what's older wear.
Wait for the go-ahead on big repairs
Urgent make-safe work aside, check with your insurer before agreeing to the permanent repair, so you're not left with a bill they won't cover.
Storm chasers to watch for
- A stranger knocking after a storm to say they happened to notice damage on your roof
- Pressure to sign on the spot, or a large deposit before any work
- An offer to handle your insurer for you if you sign their contract first
- No licence number, or a business name you can't find anywhere
- A quote far bigger than the damage you can see, with no photos to back it up
What you can do while you wait
You can
- Photograph damage outside from the ground, and inside wherever water came in
- Clear blocked downpipes you can reach standing on the ground
- Keep receipts for anything you buy to protect the house
Leave to a roofer
- Checking the roof surface for cracked tiles, dents and loose sheets
- Tarping and other make-safe work
- Writing up the cause of the damage for your insurer
- The permanent repair once the claim is sorted
What we'd do after a hailstorm
Even if nothing's leaking yet, we'd have a roofer look at any roof that's been through serious hail, because cracked tiles often don't show until the next downpour. Get photos and a written report while the damage is fresh, send them to your insurer, and don't sign anything with someone who turns up at the door. Our guide on hail damage claims covers the claim itself.
Want a roofer to take a look?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match it with a Find My Roofer certified roofer who specialises in that kind of work, and they call you to quote. Your number goes to them alone.
