Hurricane season on the Gulf Coast runs from June to November, and the best time to get a roof ready is May, before the first named storm and before every roofer in town is booked. This checklist covers what to look at, what to fix, and what to have in a folder before the forecast turns.
Why May is the right month
In May, the spring hail season is mostly behind you and the tropical season has not started. Roofers have more room on their schedules, the weather is still workable, and any repair you need can get done before a storm turns a small problem into a large one.
Once a storm is in the Gulf, everyone calls at once. Materials and crews get stretched thin, and small repairs wait behind emergency tarps. Fixing a loose edge in May costs far less, in money and stress, than chasing a leak in September.
May is also a good time to look at what spring storms already did. Hail or wind damage from March and April can sit unnoticed until tropical rain finds it, so a spring check doubles as a hurricane check.
May also leaves time for an HOA approval if the inspection shows the roof needs replacing. Associations can take weeks to answer, and a roof approved in May can be finished before the busiest stretch of the season.
Look at the edges and the ridge
Wind damage usually starts at the edges of a roof: the eaves, the rakes and the ridge. That is where wind gets under shingles and lifts them. Walk around the house with binoculars and look for shingles that are lifted, creased or missing along those lines.
Check that the drip edge is fastened and the starter course is sealed down. A lifted shingle at the edge acts like a handle for the next gust. If shingles along the eaves have broken seal strips, they can be resealed before the season starts.
Look at the ridge cap too. Loose or cracked ridge shingles let wind and water in at the highest point of the roof. In a hurricane, rain blows sideways and even upward, so small gaps at the ridge matter far more than they would in an ordinary shower.
Flashing, boots and penetrations
Most leaks come from the places where something interrupts the roof: plumbing vents, chimneys, skylights, walls and valleys. Check pipe boots for cracks, look for flashing that has pulled away from walls or chimneys, and look for missing or rusted nails around vents.
Near the bay, salt air speeds up rust on metal flashing, vent caps and fasteners. Rust streaks below a vent or along a wall are a sign the metal is failing. Replacing a rusted flashing piece now is a small job compared with replacing the drywall it ruins.
Skylights deserve a close look. Check the seals and the flashing around the frame, and look inside for water stains on the shaft. Wind-driven rain finds a weak skylight seal quickly.
Gutters, downspouts and drainage
Clean the gutters and downspouts before the season starts. Clogged gutters overflow during heavy rain, and water can back up under the edge shingles or pour against the foundation. On Houston’s clay soils, water pooling at the slab can contribute to foundation movement as well.
Make sure gutters are fastened tightly. A loose gutter in a strong wind can tear away, sometimes taking part of the fascia or roof edge with it. Check that downspouts discharge well away from the house, onto splash blocks or into pipes that carry water to the yard or street.
Look at how water moves across your yard during a heavy rain. Flat lots around Houston can hold water against the house. If water pools near the slab, regrading or a drain may be worth doing before tropical rains arrive.
Trees and anything that can fly
Trim branches that hang over the roof or could fall on it. A dead limb or a weak tree is the biggest single threat to a roof in a hurricane, because it can punch through decking that no shingle could protect. If you are unsure about a large tree near the house, have a tree professional look at it before the season, while they still have openings on their calendar.
Look around the yard for things wind can turn into projectiles: patio furniture, grills, trampolines, planters and loose fence boards. Have a plan for where those go when a storm is coming.
Patio covers and pergolas attached to the house deserve a look too. Check the connections to the house, the posts and the roof covering. A loose patio cover can tear away in high wind and damage the main roof where it attaches.
Look in the attic
Go into the attic with a flashlight and look for water stains, daylight, damp insulation and signs of past leaks. Note anything new since the last time you looked, and take photos.
Check that the roof deck is solid where it meets the walls and that nothing looks sagging or damaged. If you see rusted nails or dark staining along the lower edges, ventilation or past leaks may be the cause, and it is worth having someone look.
Make sure you know how to get into the attic quickly. After a storm, the attic is the first place to look for leaks, and finding one early can save a ceiling.
Put your records in order
Take dated photos of the roof from the ground and from the attic. Pull your insurance policy and find the hurricane or windstorm deductible, which in Texas is often a percentage of the home’s insured value and can be much larger than the standard deductible.
Keep receipts and reports for any roof work, along with the date the roof was installed if you know it. If you live in an area that requires windstorm coverage through a special program, make sure your policy is current and you know how to file.
Store copies of all of it somewhere you can reach if you have to leave the house: a cloud folder or a phone. After a storm, being able to show the roof’s condition before the damage makes a claim much simpler.
Soffits, fascia and the underside of the eaves
Hurricane wind pushes up under the eaves as hard as it pulls at the shingles, and loose soffit panels give it a way in. Once a soffit panel blows out, wind and rain can pour into the attic through the opening, soaking insulation and ceilings even when the shingles above stay put.
Walk the house and look up at every eave. Vinyl or aluminum soffit should sit snug in its channels with no gaps, sagging or missing pieces. Wood soffit and fascia should be solid, with no soft spots, peeling paint over rot, or gaps where squirrels or birds have chewed their way in.
Fascia boards carry the gutters and the drip edge, so rot there weakens the edge of the roof exactly where wind attacks first. Replacing a rotten section of fascia in May, and repainting any bare wood, keeps the gutters anchored and gives the roof edge something solid to hold onto.
Solar panels, dishes and anything bolted to the roof
Every object mounted on a roof is a place where wind can grab and water can enter. Satellite dishes, old antennas, solar panels, attic fans and roof-mounted lights all go through the roof covering somewhere, and their mounts loosen over years of heat and wind.
Remove what you no longer use. An abandoned satellite dish or antenna adds nothing and can tear loose in a storm, taking shingles and sometimes decking with it. Once it is removed, the bolt holes need to be sealed and covered properly, because a few open holes are an easy leak.
If you have solar panels, ask the installer or a roofer to check the mounts, the flashing at each penetration and the wiring before the season. Panels are heavy and catch a lot of wind, so loose racking is a real hazard to the roof around it.
Look at plumbing vents and the flue for a water heater or furnace too. A vent pipe that has been knocked loose or a storm collar that has slipped lets water run straight into the attic during a hard rain.
Metal, flat roofs and commercial buildings
Metal roofs handle wind well when the fasteners and trim are sound. On exposed-fastener panels, look for screws that have backed out and washers that have cracked, which let water in and let panels work loose in a gust. Near the coast, check for rust at cut edges and around each fastener.
Low-slope and flat roofs, common on porches, additions and small commercial buildings, need open drains and scuppers. Water ponding on a flat roof during a tropical downpour adds weight and finds every seam. Clear the drains and check that the seams along the edges are tight.
Small commercial owners should run the same checklist in May. Rooftop units, their curbs and the access panels on them can loosen in high wind, and a loose panel becomes a hazard to the roof around it. Have someone check the curbs and fasteners before June.
If you already know your roof is near the end, May is the month to decide. A tired roof going into hurricane season is a gamble, and replacing it before June is far easier than replacing it in the rush after a storm, when crews are stretched thin and materials run short.
When a storm is coming, and after it passes
When a storm is forecast, stay off the roof. Secure outdoor items, close shutters if you have them, and keep a tarp, some battens and a staple gun in the garage in case you need a temporary cover after the storm passes. Leave the climbing to people with harnesses once the wind has dropped.
After the storm, walk around the house and look before anyone gets on a ladder. Check the attic and ceilings for water. Take photos of any damage before cleanup, then call your carrier and a roofer. Be cautious with door knockers who show up the next morning.
If you want someone to look at your roof in May, before the season starts, call (832) 364-6271. We check the edges, flashing and attic, fix what needs fixing, and tell you plainly if the roof is ready.
Your May roof checklist
- Shingles along the eaves, rakes and ridge lifted, creased or missing
- Pipe boots, vent caps and flashing cracked, loose or rusted
- Gutters cleaned and fastened, downspouts discharging away from the slab
- Branches over the roof trimmed back, dead limbs removed
- Patio covers and pergolas checked where they attach to the house
- The attic checked for stains, daylight and damp insulation
- Dated photos of the roof and attic saved where you can reach them
- Your windstorm deductible written down as a dollar figure
Questions
When should I get my roof inspected before hurricane season?
May is ideal. Spring hail season is mostly over, roofers have more room on their schedules, and there is time to fix problems before June. If May slips by, early June is still far better than waiting for a storm in the forecast.
What is a windstorm deductible?
Many Texas policies carry a separate deductible for wind and hurricane damage, often figured as a percentage of the home’s insured value. Look it up on your declarations page so you know the dollar amount before a storm, because it changes which repairs make sense to claim.
Should I put a tarp on my roof before a hurricane?
No. A tarp is for covering damage after the storm. Before a storm, focus on fixing loose shingles and flashing, cleaning gutters and securing anything in the yard. A tarp put on ahead of hurricane winds usually tears loose and can damage shingles as it goes.
Can I check my roof myself?
From the ground and the attic, yes. Binoculars and a flashlight show most of what matters. Leave walking the roof to someone with the right equipment, especially on a steep pitch or a two-story house.
What should I do right after a hurricane passes?
Stay off the roof, check the attic and ceilings for water, and photograph any damage before cleanup. Then call your carrier and a roofer you trust, and be cautious about door knockers who arrive before the power is back on.
Leland or Geoff walks every job before anything gets decided. Book a visit, call (832) 364-6271, or look through the gallery first.