Post-Hail Roof Inspection: The First 48 Hours Action Plan
- Angel's Roofing
- May 4
- 7 min read
Updated: May 5
Quick Answer: After a Calgary hailstorm, document the event with dated photos, check ceilings for active leaks, take temporary protective steps, notify your insurance carrier, and book a roof inspection with a credentialed local roofer within 30 days. Do not climb the roof yourself, do not sign with door-to-door canvassers, and do not assume "no visible damage" means no damage.
After a Calgary hailstorm, the first 48 hours matter more than anything that happens later. Document the event with dated photos, check for interior leaks, secure any obvious damage temporarily, notify your insurance carrier, and book a roof inspection with a local credentialed roofer within 30 days. Do not climb the roof. Do not sign anything with door-to-door canvassers. Do not assume "no visible damage" means "no damage." Bruised and granule-damaged shingles often look intact for weeks before failure accelerates.
The fast version for anyone reading this right after a storm:
First 4 hours: Safety check, interior leaks, dated exterior photos
4 to 24 hours: Interim protection, insurance notification, local roofer outreach
24 to 48 hours: Inspection booked, documentation package assembled
Within 30 days: Inspection completed, claim filed if damage confirmed
This is an action plan, not background reading. Each section below gives you what to do in order, with the reasoning compressed.
At a Glance
Quick Facts:
Hail size that warrants an inspection: 2 cm or larger
Insurance reporting window (typical Alberta): 30 to 60 days
Inspection booking target: Within 30 days of the storm
Key documentation: Dated photos, weather reports, damage list
Biggest risk: Out-of-province door-knocker crews offering "free inspections."
Insurance Bureau of Canada: Hail is the top property-loss driver in Alberta
Hours 0 to 4: Immediate Actions
The storm just passed. Safety first, documentation next.
Confirm everyone in the home is safe. Check for broken windows, interior water intrusion, and anyone exposed to flying debris. If anyone was struck by hail, seek medical care before roof documentation.
Do a careful interior walk. Every upper-floor room, ceiling, and closet. Look for new water stains, active drips, bubbling paint, and any sound of water movement inside the walls. Take dated phone photos of anything you find.
Take ground-level exterior photos. Walk the full perimeter of the home. Photograph every side of the roof from the ground. Photograph the lawn (to document hail size with something for scale, like a coin or ruler), any dented window screens, any damaged siding or fascia, and any hail accumulation in the gutters or on the ground. Date and timestamp the photos.
Do not climb the roof. Wet shingles, broken glass, and potential hidden damage make it unsafe. Ground-level documentation is enough for the first pass.
Note the weather details. Time of storm, approximate hail size (compare to known objects: a loonie is 2.65 cm, a toonie is 2.8 cm), and any wind gusts. Keep a short written timeline; memory fades in 48 hours.
Hours 4 to 24: Interim Steps
The immediate safety check is done. Now you move to protection and initial contact.
Apply interim protection only where safe. If a window is broken, board or tape it from the inside. If interior water is active, move furniture, put down towels and buckets, and if you can safely reach a tarp, let a qualified roofer do the rooftop tarping. Do not attempt rooftop tarping yourself.
Call your insurance carrier. Most Alberta home policies have a reporting expectation within 30 to 60 days of the event; early notification preserves your options. You do not need a full damage assessment to file. Tell the carrier: the storm happened, you are arranging a professional inspection, and you will provide the report once complete.
Avoid door-knocker sign-ups. After major Calgary hail, out-of-province crews often canvass affected neighbourhoods offering free inspections and claim help. Some are legitimate; many disappear within months. Do not sign anything with a roofer who shows up unsolicited. Reach out to established local companies with verifiable Calgary addresses instead.
Start a documentation folder. A single file (digital or paper) containing all dated photos, the storm's date and time, interior damage notes, and any emails or calls with your insurance carrier. This folder becomes the backbone of your claim.
Angel's Roofing provides Calgary residential roof inspections with detailed written reports and photo documentation suited to insurance requirements. See the inspection service page.
Hours 24 to 48: Book the Inspection
By now, the urgency has dropped, but the documentation window has not.
Contact 2 to 3 local credentialed roofers. Ask about inspection availability, inspection scope (attic included, written report included), and price. Book as soon as you have a provider you trust. Post-storm wait times in Calgary can stretch to 4 to 6 weeks after major events, so call early, even if the appointment is weeks out.
Ask the right questions on the call:
How long have you operated in Calgary, and what is the business address?
Which manufacturer certifications do you hold?
Does the inspection include a written report with photo documentation?
What is the turnaround on the report?
Can you coordinate with my insurance carrier if damage is found?
Avoid signing any repair or replacement contract yet. You do not have enough information to commit until the inspection is complete. A legitimate roofer will understand this; a pressure-heavy one will not.
Keep your documentation folder updated. Any new interior damage, any additional photos, any insurance correspondence.
Days 3 to 30: Complete the Inspection and Claim
Once the inspection is booked, a few more actions to complete before the 30-day mark.
Be present for the inspection if possible. The wrap-up walkthrough helps you understand the findings in real time. Ask questions. Take notes.
Receive the written report. It should include zone-by-zone findings, photo documentation, severity ranking (immediate/short-term / monitor), and recommended actions. Add it to your documentation folder.
Submit the claim if damage is confirmed. Send the full documentation package to your insurance carrier: dated ground-level photos from the storm day, the inspection report, and any evidence of interior damage. An itemized, dated package typically moves through claim adjudication faster than a verbal summary.
Do not schedule repair work until the claim position is clear. Some carriers require their adjuster to inspect before work begins. Starting work prematurely can complicate reimbursement.
What to Watch for in the Inspection Report
A complete post-hail inspection report should flag any of the following specifically, each with photos and location detail:
Hail bruising on asphalt shingles. Circular indents where the granule layer was crushed into the mat
Granule loss patterns. Bare patches on the shingle surface indicate protective-layer damage
Cracked or split shingles. Especially on older or brittle roofs
Dented metal flashing. Around chimneys, vents, and valleys
Damaged ridge caps. Common hail-exposure point
Damaged soffit, fascia, or gutters. Often overlooked in "roof-only" reviews
A report that says "no damage" after a major hail event deserves a second opinion, especially on older roofs. A report that itemizes findings with photo documentation is what you need for insurance.
Post-Hail Action Timeline
Step-by-step sequence for the first 48 hours and beyond after a Calgary hailstorm.
Hour 0 to 1: Confirm personal safety. Check for injuries, broken windows, and active water intrusion.
Hours 1 to 2: Interior damage check. Walk every upper-floor room; photograph stains, drips, or damaged fixtures.
Hours 2 to 4: Exterior ground-level photos. Full perimeter, dated, with scale objects for hail size reference.
Hours 4 to 12: Interim protection. Board broken windows, manage interior water. Do not climb the roof.
Hours 12 to 24: Insurance notification. Call your carrier to open the claim file; a full damage report follows inspection.
Hours 24 to 48: Local roofer outreach. Contact 2 to 3 established Calgary roofers for inspection bookings; avoid door-knockers.
Day 3 to 30: Complete inspection. Attend the wrap-up walkthrough; receive the written photo-documented report.
Day 7 to 30: Submit full claim package. Report plus ground-level photos plus interior evidence to the insurance carrier.
After claim adjudication: Schedule repairs. Work with your chosen Calgary roofer using the approved scope.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big does hail have to be to damage a Calgary roof?
Hail of 2 cm or larger (loonie-sized) can cause cosmetic damage to asphalt; 2.5 cm and above typically causes functional damage that shortens roof life. Smaller hail can still cause damage to aging roofs or less-impact-resistant materials. When in doubt, book an inspection.
My neighbour's roof looks fine. Does that mean mine is too?
Not necessarily. Hail damage is surprisingly localized; two homes on the same block can have very different outcomes based on wind angle, slope direction, and shingle age. Assess your own roof on its own merits.
What if I wait longer than 30 days to file?
Most Alberta carriers expect storm damage to be reported within 30 to 60 days. Late reporting does not automatically void a claim, but it can complicate adjudication. If more than 30 days have passed, call the carrier, explain the situation, and move quickly on the inspection.
Is the insurance company going to ask me to get multiple quotes?
Typically, one detailed inspection report plus a repair quote is enough. Some carriers ask for a second quote on larger claims. Your adjuster will tell you what they need. Do not start work based on verbal quotes; get written ones.
What if I had a roof inspection recently before the storm?
That recent report is highly valuable. It establishes the pre-storm baseline. The post-storm inspection then documents the change. This before-and-after pairing is the strongest claim position a homeowner can have.
Can I document hail damage without climbing the roof?
Yes. Ground-level photos of accumulated hail (with scale reference), damaged screens, damaged siding, dented fascia, and any visible roof-edge issues are all useful. The close-up roof documentation is the inspector's job; your part is the ground-level and interior evidence.
About Angel's Roofing: Angel's Roofing provides comprehensive residential roof inspection services throughout Calgary, specializing in detailed written reports, photo documentation, and manufacturer-certified workmanship (GAF, IKO, VELUX, Euroshield, Malarkey) for homeowners requiring trusted protection of their property investment, backed by 25+ years of local Chinook, freeze-thaw, and hail experience.
Ready to schedule a thorough roof inspection backed by Calgary-specific expertise? Angel's Roofing helps Calgary homeowners catch issues early with comprehensive written inspection reports that document every finding, photos included.
Contact us today at 403-569-2643 to book your free roof inspection quote and start protecting your home.
Disclaimer: Roofing involves safety risks; consult licensed professionals for work beyond ground-level visual checks. Costs and specifications provided are estimates based on typical Calgary market conditions and may vary based on specific project requirements and current material pricing.
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