Hail is part of life in Denton. Spring storms build along I-35 and roll across Denton County, and the hail doesn’t care whether it lands on a new subdivision off Loop 288 or an older home near the Square. When it hits, most homeowners have the same three questions: Is my roof damaged? What should I photograph? And how does the insurance part work?
I’m Blake Snow. I’ve been roofing for 30 years, I’m the third generation in a family business that goes back 75 years, and our crews have completed over $80 million in roofing projects. Here’s the honest, step-by-step version I give Denton homeowners after a storm.
What NOAA’s records show for Denton County
You don’t have to guess how often big hail falls here. NOAA’s Storm Events Database (NCEI) keeps a record of hail reports for every county. A few recent Denton County entries:
| Date | Hail size | Where (per NOAA) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 11, 2023 | 4.25” | Flower Mound, near Cross Timbers Rd and Shiloh Rd | NCEI 1105796 |
| June 15, 2023 | 5.90” | 0.9 mi SE of Sanger | NCEI 1109306 |
| September 21, 2023 | 1.25” | 1.35 mi WNW of Denton | NCEI 1142351 |
| March 14, 2024 | 3.50” | Double Oak area | NCEI 1163185 |
| April 1, 2024 | 3.40” | 2.7 mi SW of Justin | NCEI 1172510 |
| June 2, 2024 | 1.50” | Near Loop 288 and Hwy 77 in Denton | NCEI 1195069 |
| May 6, 2025 | 1.00” | Denton Public Library North Branch | NCEI 1261939 |
| June 2, 2026 | 2.00” | Near Lebanon Rd in The Colony | NCEI 1335446, SPC 6/2 |
The Sanger stone is worth a second look. NOAA’s notes say the National Weather Service office in Fort Worth examined it in person, measured it at 5.9 inches and called it a record hailstone for the North and Central Texas region. The same September 2023 storm that dropped 1.25” hail west of Denton also logged 2.50” hail in Krum.
Two honest notes. First, a report is where someone measured hail, not the edge of the storm. Hail a mile from a report point can be bigger or smaller. Second, NOAA’s finalized database runs months behind, so for recent storms check the Storm Prediction Center’s daily preliminary reports.
Step 1: Check from the ground (stay off the roof)
Wet shingles and steep pitches put people in the hospital every storm season. You can learn a lot without a ladder:
- Soft metals: dents in gutters, downspouts, AC condenser fins, window wraps, vents and the mailbox.
- Granules: dark, sandy grit piled at the bottom of downspouts or washed onto the driveway.
- Screens and siding: torn window screens, cracked vinyl siding, chipped paint on trim.
- Inside: fresh ceiling stains, damp insulation in the attic, or drips around skylights and vents.
Dented soft metals don’t prove the roof is damaged, but they tell you the hail was big enough to be worth an inspection.
Step 2: Photograph it the right way
Good photos help you whether you pay for a repair yourself or file a claim:
- Write down the storm date and time as soon as you can. The date of loss matters for your claim.
- Take wide shots first, all four sides of the house, then close-ups of every dent and tear.
- Put a coin or tape measure in the frame for hailstones and dents so the size is clear.
- Photograph hailstones in the yard before they melt, if it’s safe.
- Keep receipts for tarps, buckets or anything you bought to stop water from getting in.
Leave the roof photos to us. Our inspection comes with a free digital photo report, slope by slope, so you can see the same thing we see.
Step 3: What a real roof inspection looks like
A proper hail inspection is more than a glance from the ladder. On a shingle roof we walk each slope and look for:
- Bruises and fractures: soft spots where the mat under the granules has cracked. They often don’t leak for months, which is why people miss them.
- Granule loss in round spots that expose the black asphalt.
- Damage to ridge caps, hips and valleys, which take the hardest hits.
- Dented or split metal: pipe jacks, vents, turtle vents, flashing and drip edge.
- Wear that isn’t hail, like blistering, old cracking or nail pops. A good inspector tells you what’s storm damage and what’s just age, even when that’s not what you hoped to hear.
Then we give you a plain answer: no damage, a repair, or a replacement worth talking to your insurer about. If there’s no real damage, I’ll tell you not to file.
Step 4: How a Texas insurance claim usually goes
You file and own your claim. Here’s the usual order:
- Call your insurer and report the date of loss. In Texas you generally have 1 year from the date of loss to file a claim, but check your policy.
- An adjuster inspects the roof. You can ask us to be there. We can’t act as your adjuster. Texas doesn’t allow a contractor to do that, and we don’t negotiate claims. What we can do is show the adjuster what we photographed and walk through our estimate.
- Read the estimate. Many policies pay in two parts: actual cash value first, then recoverable depreciation after the work is done. Your policy decides how that works, so ask your agent if it’s unclear.
- Pay your deductible. Texas law requires it. Under Insurance Code Chapter 707 and Business and Commerce Code 27.02, a contractor can’t waive, absorb or rebate your deductible. If someone offers to “take care of it,” walk away. The Texas Department of Insurance explains why.
After a big storm, out-of-town crews often knock on doors. Look for a local office and phone number, references, and a written contract. We’re BBB A+ rated and we hold 5.0 stars on Google at all three offices: Bridgeport, Decatur and Rhome.
Rebuilding tougher: where metal fits
If your roof does need to be replaced, that’s the best time to ask whether the next roof should handle hail better. For many Denton County homes, my answer is metal.
- Gauge matters. We run 24 or 26 gauge steel. Thicker panels resist denting better than the thin 29 gauge panels you see on some sheds.
- Class 4 ratings are available. Many standing seam and steel panels carry a UL 2218 Class 4 impact rating, the highest class in that test. Ask for the rating on the exact panel and gauge, not the brand in general. Our Class 4 metal roof and insurance page goes deeper.
- Standing seam has no exposed screws. On standing seam, the clips sit under the seams, so hail isn’t hitting screw heads and washers. We form our own panels on our own roll formers, one piece from ridge to eave on most homes. Metal lead time is typically one to two weeks.
To be straight with you: metal is not hail-proof. Large hail like the stones NOAA logged near Sanger and Flower Mound can dent any roof. On metal, dents are often cosmetic and don’t leak, but some policies exclude cosmetic damage to metal roofs, so read yours before you choose. If you’d rather stay with shingles, Class 4 impact-resistant shingles are a solid step up, and every roof we install is at least Class 3. Some Texas insurers also offer a discount for impact-resistant roofs. Our guide to that discount covers what to ask your agent.
We’re certified with GAF, CertainTeed, Owens Corning, Atlas, Johns Manville, Carlisle, Tropical Roofing Products, Mule-Hide and Enviroshake, and many other roof manufacturers. Our workmanship warranty runs from 10 years up to lifetime, depending on the job.
Denton and nearby towns we cover
We inspect and roof all over Denton County, including Denton, Sanger, Krum, Corinth, Argyle, Justin, Flower Mound and Double Oak. See our storm damage page for how we handle tarping and emergency calls.
Get your free photo report
If hail came through your part of Denton, don’t wait for a ceiling stain. Request a free inspection or call me at (817) 733-9228. We’ll get on the roof, photograph what we find and tell you plainly whether you need a repair, a replacement, or nothing at all.
