Roof repair in Dallas–Fort Worth, where hail sets the calendar

No state roofing license: what to check instead

Texas does not issue a state license for roofing work, so the license lookup a California homeowner relies on does not exist here. That makes your own checks more important:

• Insurance. Ask for a current certificate of liability insurance, and coverage for workers on your roof; call the agent on the certificate to confirm it is in force.
• The city. Ask your city's building department whether a reroof or repair needs a permit and whether roofers must register with the city, then ask the roofer to show the permit.
• A local track record. Recent jobs nearby you can drive past, and an address and phone that will still answer after the storm season.
• The contract. Written scope, products by name, a price for unknowns such as rotten decking, and the deductible notice on any insurance-paid job.

Hail and wind: the two kinds of storm damage

Hail bruises and cracks shingles, knocks off granules, cracks tile and dents metal, gutters and vents; the damage often turns into leaks and fast wear months later. Wind lifts and creases shingle tabs, tears off ridge caps and sometimes whole sections, and drives rain sideways under laps and flashing. Both come in the same storms. Look up the date and your county in NOAA's Storm Events Database, keep the record with your photos, and read our hail damage page for what to look for on each kind of roof.

Insurance claims and the law in Texas

The Texas Department of Insurance is direct about it. A roofer who does or may do the work may not act as a public insurance adjuster on your claim or advertise that they will, and offering to negotiate your settlement or file the claim for you is improper. It is illegal for a contractor to offer to waive, rebate or absorb your deductible, a contract of $1,000 or more involving an insurance settlement must say you pay the deductible, and your insurer may ask for proof. Report an offer that breaks these rules to the Texas Attorney General; TDI's roofing and insurance page has the number. The claim is yours; the roofer's part is the roof. More on roof insurance claims.

Impact-resistant roofing at replacement time

When a hail claim leads to a new roof, many North Texas owners look at impact-resistant products. Roofing tested for impact resistance is rated Class 1 to Class 4, Class 4 the highest. TDI explains that a Class 4 covering gets the highest premium credit where an insurer offers one, but each company sets its own discount, accepted tests and paperwork. Ask your insurer before you choose: whether it offers a credit, what proof it needs (some use TDI form PC068), and whether the roof must be inspected. Ask the roofer to keep the product labels.

After a storm: the first week

1. Safety and leaks. Buckets and plastic inside, power off to wet fixtures, a tarp if water is pouring in.
2. Record it. Photos of hail, gutters, vents, every side of the house and every wet ceiling, with the date.
3. Look up the storm. NOAA's Storm Events Database for your county and date.
4. Inspection. A careful look at every slope, with photos, from someone you checked, not the first knock on the door.
5. Your claim. Read the policy, report the loss, meet the adjuster, keep everything in writing.

Storm chasers and how to spot them

Big hail storms bring crews from out of town within days. Some do fine work and leave; the trouble is finding them later if something fails. Be wary of a contract offered on the doorstep, pressure to sign before the adjuster comes, a request for a large payment before any work, an offer to cover your deductible, or a promise to "handle the insurance". A roofer with a local address, a permit and a written scope is easier to hold to the work.

Heat, sun and the long summer

Storms get the attention, but North Texas summers age roofs too: shingles bake, sealant dries out, and attics overheat when ventilation is poor. A roof that seemed fine in spring can start leaking at a pipe boot or flashing in the first autumn storm. When a roof is replaced, ask how intake and exhaust ventilation will be balanced, because it affects both the attic and the shingle maker's warranty. See roof replacement for the full sequence.

Sources: Texas Department of Insurance, Roofing and insurance: Know the law (updated 2025-03-24) and Products qualifying for impact-resistant roofing credits (as of 2023-02-24); NOAA, Storm Events Database.