Storm and Roof Leak Water Damage in Plano

North Texas is one of the most hail-prone regions in the country, and Collin County sees severe thunderstorms most springs, with a second, smaller storm season in the fall. Large hail can crack shingles, split ridge caps, and break skylights. Straight-line winds lift shingles and drive rain sideways under flashing, around windows, and through vents. Fallen limbs from Plano's mature oaks, elms, and pecans can puncture a roof outright.

Roof damage is not always visible from the ground. If a storm hit your neighborhood, watch for new ceiling stains, peeling paint near the ceiling line, damp insulation in the attic, or a musty smell in upstairs rooms over the following weeks.

• Cracked, bruised, or missing shingles after hail or high wind
• Lifted or damaged flashing around chimneys, skylights, and roof walls
• Roof vents, turbines, and plumbing vent boots that crack with age and hail
• Valleys where two roof slopes meet and debris collects
• Windows and doors where wind-driven rain gets past worn seals
• Overflowing gutters that send water behind fascia boards and into soffits
• Holes from fallen tree limbs

You do not need to climb on the roof to spot many signs of damage. A quick walk around the house and a look in the attic catch most problems early.

Take dated photos of everything you find, even if it seems minor. Storm damage claims are easier when you can show what the house looked like right after the event.

Blown-in insulation in an attic acts like a sponge. It can hold water for days and lets it spread across a large area before it soaks through the drywall below. By the time a stain appears, the drywall may be soft and the insulation compressed and useless.

• Sagging or bubbling ceiling drywall, which can fall without warning
• Wet insulation that loses its insulating value and must be replaced
• Water running down inside exterior walls behind windows
• Damaged light fixtures and ceiling fans that should not be used until checked
• Wet roof decking that can grow mold on the attic side

The first priority after a storm is stopping more water from getting in. That usually means an emergency tarp over the damaged section of the roof and boarding up broken windows. Once the opening is covered, wet insulation and ceiling drywall are removed, the attic and rooms below are dried, and the area is checked for mold before it is closed up.

A roofer repairs or replaces the roof. The restoration team handles the interior: drying, insulation, drywall, texture, and paint. Many homeowners get both started in the same week so the interior is not rebuilt under a roof that still leaks.

Not all storm water comes through the roof. Strong winds push rain sideways into window frames, door thresholds, and gaps in brick and siding. Water then runs down inside the wall cavity, soaking insulation and the bottom of the drywall, and may only show up as a stain near the floor or a swollen baseboard below the window.

Older windows with worn seals and brick homes with blocked weep holes are especially prone to this. Drying a wall leak usually means removing the baseboard, checking the wall cavity with a moisture meter, and opening the drywall where insulation is wet, then resealing the window or wall once it is dry.

Attics in North Texas get extremely hot in summer and humid during storm season, which can help or hurt drying. Wet blown-in insulation is usually vacuumed out because it mats down and holds water against the ceiling drywall. Decking and rafters are dried with air movers and dehumidifiers, checked with moisture meters, and treated if there is any mold growth. New insulation goes in only after everything is dry.

Wind and hail damage is generally covered by Texas homeowners policies, often with a separate wind and hail deductible stated as a percentage of the dwelling coverage, such as 1% or 2%. On a home insured for $400,000, a 2% deductible is $8,000, so it is worth checking yours before deciding how to proceed with a smaller claim.

Report storm damage promptly, because many policies set deadlines for filing and some damage is harder to prove months later. Keep receipts for tarping and emergency repairs, since reasonable steps to prevent further damage are typically reimbursed.

• Have the roof inspected after any hail storm with stones an inch or larger
• Consider impact-resistant shingles when replacing a roof, which may also lower premiums
• Trim tree limbs that hang over the roof
• Keep gutters clear before spring storm season
• Check attic insulation for damp spots after heavy rain
• Replace cracked vent boots and worn window seals