You hear hail hammering your roof, watch the wind whip branches across your yard, and wonder what kind of damage your home will wake up to in the morning. The storm passes, the sky clears, and from the driveway your roof might look almost the same. That quiet moment is when most homeowners in San Antonio start asking the same question: did my roof just take a hit that will come back to haunt me?
After a strong storm, you are juggling a lot at once. You are watching for leaks, checking on family, and trying to decide if you need storm damage roof repair in San Antonio right away or if things can wait. You may not see missing shingles or obvious holes, so it is tempting to hope everything is fine. At the same time, you know our weather is tough on roofs, and you do not want to find out about hidden damage months later when a small issue turns into a bigger repair.
We have walked through that exact moment with San Antonio homeowners for more than 35 years. At Southwest Exteriors, we focus on exterior improvements that protect your home, and we have inspected many roofs after hail, high winds, and driving rain. With a 4.9-star rating across more than 1,000 Google reviews, we have seen what storm damage really looks like here and how it behaves over time. In this guide, we will share what we have learned so you know what to look for, what to do next, and how to approach storm damage roof repair in San Antonio with confidence.
Need professional storm damage roof repairs in San Antonio? Call (210) 625-7865 or reach out online today to learn how Southwest Exteriors can help you restore your home with excellence and integrity.
How San Antonio Storms Really Damage Your Roof
San Antonio storms do not all look the same, but the way they damage roofs follows some patterns. We see fast-moving cells that bring hail, straight-line winds that push rain sideways, and temperature swings that stress roofing materials. Hailstones do not have to be huge to cause problems. Repeated smaller hail events can bruise shingles and shorten roof life even when there is no dramatic destruction in a single night.
On an asphalt shingle roof, hail can cause bruising, cracks, and granule loss. Granules are the small, sand-like pieces on the surface of a shingle that protect the asphalt below from sunlight and impact. When hail knocks those granules off, it may leave dark spots or soft bruised areas where the shingle surface has been crushed. The shingle might not fall off right away, but the exposed asphalt can dry out and crack faster, which leads to leaks later.
Tile and metal roofs take storm impacts differently. Concrete or clay tiles can crack or shift out of place when struck or lifted by wind, which opens gaps where water can travel underneath. Metal roofs may show dents from hail that look mostly cosmetic, but if seams, fasteners, or protective coatings are damaged, water can start working through those weaknesses. The key is that much of this damage is about performance over time, not just what you can see at a glance.
Wind is another major factor in storm damage roof repair in San Antonio. Strong gusts can lift shingle edges and break the adhesive seal that holds them flat against the roof. Once that seal is broken, shingles are easier to tear off in the next storm, and wind-driven rain can be forced under the shingle layers. Wind also stresses flashing, which is the metal used where your roof meets vertical surfaces like walls and chimneys. Bent or loosened flashing can let water slip into the structure even if the shingles nearby still look intact.
After many years of inspecting roofs in our area, we have learned that serious problems often start as small, barely visible changes after a storm. A few loosened shingles here, a bit of lifted flashing there, or clusters of missing granules can all be early signs of damage that will get worse with our hot sun, heavy rains, and the next round of storms. Understanding how storms really work on your roof is the first step to deciding what needs attention and how soon.
Signs Of Storm Damage You Can Safely Look For
You should not climb onto your roof after a storm. The surface can be slick, materials may be loose, and there can be hazards you cannot see from above. There are, however, several useful signs of storm damage you can look for safely from the ground, your driveway, and inside your home.
Start with a walk around your yard. Look for shingles, shingle pieces, or flashing on the ground. Check your gutters and downspouts for dents and bends, since hail strong enough to dent metal often has enough force to damage shingles. Take a look where downspouts empty out and see if you notice piles of black or colored granules. Those granules came from somewhere, and heavy granule loss shortly after a storm is one sign that hail or wind has worn away your shingle surface.
From the ground, scan your roof slopes as closely as you can. You may spot shingles that appear lifted, curled, or out of alignment with their neighbors. You might see shiny spots where the mat underneath is exposed, or areas where flashing around chimneys, vents, or roof-to-wall joints looks bent or pulled away. On metal roofs, look for visible dents and damaged seams. Any pattern of irregular marks in a section of the roof is worth noting in your photos.
Inside your home, new stains are important clues. Check ceilings, especially in upper rooms directly under the roof, and look for yellow or brown rings that were not there before. If you have safe access to your attic, a quick look with a flashlight can reveal damp insulation, darkened wood, or even pinpoints of light where they did not exist before. A musty smell that appears right after a storm can also be a sign of new moisture.
When we visit homeowners after a storm, we often start by reviewing what they have seen from the ground and inside, then confirm or expand on those observations from the roof level. That consultative approach helps you connect what you can safely see with what we find during a professional inspection, so you are not left guessing whether something is minor or a sign of deeper damage.
What To Do In The First 24–72 Hours After A Storm
The first few days after a storm are about safety, preventing more damage, and gathering clear information. You do not need to know right away whether you will need minor storm damage roof repair in San Antonio or larger work. You do need a simple plan so that small problems do not become big ones while you wait to sort things out.
First, take a careful look inside for active leaks. If you see water dripping or pooled on the floor, move belongings out of the way and place buckets or containers where needed. For ceilings that are sagging, do not poke or cut them yourself. Avoid standing under those areas and, if possible, contain the spread of water by covering furniture and flooring. If you smell gas, see downed power lines, or suspect structural damage, contact emergency services and your utility providers immediately.
Next, document what you see. Use your phone to take photos and short videos of exterior and interior signs of damage. Capture wide shots that show your whole roof or each side of the home and then close-ups of specific problem areas like stains, displaced shingles in the yard, or dented gutters. Note the date and time of the storm and, if you can, keep a simple list of what you noticed and when. These records can be helpful later when speaking with contractors or your insurance carrier.
Within that 24 to 72 hour window, contact a trusted local contractor for a storm damage roof inspection. A thorough roof check by a trained team can uncover issues that are not visible from the ground and help you decide what needs attention and how quickly. Acting early also reduces the risk that water intrusion will travel further into your home. Water often follows framing or other internal paths, which is why a small entry point on the roof can lead to a stain several feet away on your ceiling or wall if left unchecked.
Our team at Southwest Exteriors offers free in-home consultations and clear communication throughout this early stage. We listen to what you experienced during the storm, review your photos, and then perform a detailed inspection before presenting recommendations.
How Roofers Assess Storm Damage During An Inspection
Knowing what happens during a professional roof inspection can make the process less intimidating and help you recognize whether you are getting a careful assessment. When we come out after a storm, we are not just looking for missing shingles. We are reading your roof the way a mechanic reads an engine, looking for patterns that tell us how the storm affected your home.
On asphalt shingle roofs, we examine selected areas of each slope for bruising, cracks, and granule loss. A hail bruise often feels soft under gentle pressure, even if it is hard to see from the ground. We look at how many such impacts occur in a given test area because that pattern says more about roof performance than a single isolated spot. We also check for lifted or creased shingles, which suggest that wind has broken the sealant bond that holds them flat to the roof surface.
We then move to vulnerable transition points. Flashing around chimneys, skylights, and where the roof meets vertical walls is a common entry point for water after storms. We inspect these metal components for bends, gaps, or sealant failure. Roof valleys, where two slopes meet and channel a large amount of water, also take a beating in heavy rain and hail, so we check them closely for impact marks, cracks, and debris buildup. Ridge vents and other penetrations, such as plumbing and HVAC vents, are checked for cracks, dislodged parts, or broken seals.
Part of a good storm inspection is distinguishing between cosmetic and functional damage. A metal roof with light surface dents may still perform well, while a shingle roof with subtle bruises in a concentrated area may be at higher risk of leaks even if it looks mostly fine from the street. We focus on damage that affects how the roof sheds water and protects the structure, because that is what matters most for your home.
Repair Vs. Replacement After Storm Damage
One of the biggest questions after a storm is whether you are looking at a repair or something larger. There is no single answer that fits every house, but there are patterns that guide our recommendations. The right path depends on the type and spread of damage, the age and condition of your roof, and how many storms it has already been through.
Localized repairs often make sense when the damage is limited to a small, well-defined area. For example, a single branch may have scraped a corner of the roof, or a small section of shingles near a ridge may have lifted in a wind event while the rest of the roof remains in solid condition. Replacing a few damaged shingles, resealing or replacing flashing in one area, or addressing a small leak around a vent can sometimes restore performance without more extensive work, especially on a relatively young roof.
On the other hand, widespread hail impact across multiple slopes, heavy granule loss in several areas, or repeating patterns of bruising and cracking can point toward a broader solution. In those cases, even if leaks are not visible yet, the protective surface of the roof has been compromised in many places. In San Antonio, where roofs continue to face strong sun and future storms, that kind of systemic damage can significantly shorten the roof’s remaining life.
Roof age plays a major role in this decision. A newer roof with isolated storm damage may respond well to targeted repairs. An older roof that has already weathered years of heat and past storms can be more fragile, so storm damage might push it past the point where repairs are a sound long-term choice. Previous patchwork repairs can also affect today’s options, because multiple layers or poorly integrated fixes do not always hold up under new stress.
Our consultative process at Southwest Exteriors is built around walking you through these factors in plain language. After we inspect your roof, we explain what we found, show you photos, and lay out repair and replacement options where both make sense. We provide exact price quotes rather than rough guesses, and when we complete work, our Best By Southwest Warranty covers manufacturing defects, installation issues, and adjustments related to foundation movement. That means if shifting soils cause alignment issues that affect the work we did, we return to address it, which matters in our region.
How Storm Damage Affects The Rest Of Your Exterior
Storms rarely limit their impact to the roof alone. The same hailstones and winds that stress your shingles can leave their mark on windows, siding, doors, and exterior finishes. When we evaluate a home after a storm, we are looking at the full exterior picture, because issues often connect in ways that are not obvious at first glance.
Hail can chip or crack window glass, dent frames, and damage screens. On siding, it may leave small craters, cracks, or paint loss that expose underlying materials to moisture. Strong winds can drive rain into tiny gaps around doors and windows, leading to drafts or water spots. Concrete coatings on patios or entries may also show signs of impact or surface wear after severe weather, especially if debris has hit them.
Water intrusion at the roof edge can affect more than just the attic. Fascia and soffits, which support the edge of the roof and cover the underside of overhangs, can trap moisture that eventually finds its way into wall cavities. Over time, this can contribute to peeling paint, swollen trim, or interior wall damage that seems disconnected from the original storm. A holistic look at your exterior helps catch these links earlier.
Coordinating separate contractors for roof, siding, windows, and paint can be challenging, especially when you are also dealing with the stress of storm recovery. At Southwest Exteriors, our services extend across windows, siding, doors, exterior painting, concrete coatings, and custom exterior construction projects. That breadth allows us to plan and carry out a unified repair approach when storms have touched multiple parts of your home, so the finished result works together both functionally and visually.
Choosing A Trustworthy Storm Damage Roof Repair Company In San Antonio
After a major storm, you might see unfamiliar trucks in your neighborhood and get knocks on the door from people offering quick inspections. Some of these may be legitimate contractors, and some may be short-term storm chasers who will be gone by the time the next weather system rolls through. Choosing who to trust with storm damage roof repair in San Antonio is as important as finding the damage itself.
There are a few red flags to watch for. Be cautious if someone pressures you to sign a contract on the spot before you have seen a clear scope of work or inspection photos. Be wary of offers that sound too broad or vague, such as promises to handle everything without explaining what that involves. Out-of-town license plates or a lack of a local address can sometimes signal a temporary presence rather than a long-term commitment to the community.
On the positive side, look for signs of stability and clarity. A contractor with many years in San Antonio has had to stand behind their work through more than one storm season. Online reviews with detailed comments can give you a sense of how they communicate, how they handle scheduling, and how they respond when something unexpected comes up. Clear written proposals that outline materials, specific repair areas, and timelines are another key sign that you are dealing with an organized, professional team.
It also makes sense to ask about warranties in concrete terms. Ask what is covered, for how long, and what happens if you notice an issue after the work is done. In our case, Southwest Exteriors has served San Antonio homeowners and business owners for more than 35 years and has earned a 4.9-star rating with over 1,000 Google reviews. Our Best By Southwest Warranty covers manufacturing defects, installation issues, and adjustments related to foundation settling, including support such as re-caulking and re-alignment. That kind of ongoing support can make a real difference in a region where foundations and exteriors continue to shift over time.
How Southwest Exteriors Supports You After Storm Damage
When you call us after a storm, our goal is to bring clarity and a plan, not more stress. We start with a conversation about what you saw and heard during the storm and any issues you have noticed since. Then we schedule a free in-home consultation and roof inspection. During that visit, we document what we find, take photos, and explain the condition of your roof and exterior in straightforward terms.
From there, we prepare exact price quotes for the repair or replacement options that fit your situation. We discuss timing, material choices, and how the work will unfold at your home. Throughout the project, our team provides proactive updates about scheduling, access needs, and any new issues discovered once work begins. That clear and honest communication is a core part of how we operate, because we know you are inviting us to work on one of your largest investments.
We also understand that storm damage repairs are often unplanned expenses. That is why we offer accessible financing options with flexible payment plans, so you can move forward with needed work without putting off important repairs that protect your home. Combined with our Best By Southwest Warranty and our servant-hearted culture, this approach is designed to support you not only during the project but in the years that follow.
If you suspect your roof took a hit in the last storm, you do not have to guess what is happening over your head. Call (210) 625-7865 or reach out online. We are ready to inspect, explain, and repair with the same level of care we would want for our own homes.