After the Hail: A 10-Minute Checklist for Denver Homeowners

The storm passed, the sun is out, and the gutters are full of ice. Here’s what to do in the next ten minutes, the next day and the next week.

The first ten minutes (from the ground)

Don’t climb on the roof. Wet shingles are slick and a fall is far worse than any roof damage. Instead, walk the property and look for collateral damage, which is what adjusters use to confirm hail hit your house at all:

• Dents in the gutters, downspouts and gutter guards
• Dings in the fins of your air-conditioner condenser
• Dented window screens or cracked window beads
• Chipped paint or dents on wood fences, decks and siding
• Shredded leaves and stripped branches
• Dark spots on the driveway where granules washed off the roof

Photograph everything with your phone, including a few shots of the hailstones next to a coin or a ruler if they’re still on the ground. Timestamped photos are the best evidence you’ll ever have.

The next day

Check inside. Look at ceilings, especially around skylights and under valleys, for new stains. Peek in the attic with a flashlight for wet insulation or daylight. If you see any of it, call for emergency tarping; most carriers reimburse that.

Then schedule a free roof inspection. A roofer can get on the roof safely, mark test squares and tell you whether the damage meets the threshold adjusters use. If it doesn’t, you’ll save yourself a claim. If it does, you’ll have the documentation ready.

The next week

If the inspection found damage, call your insurance company to open a claim and ask for the adjuster visit. Have your roofer meet the adjuster. Then get a written scope from the carrier before signing anything with a contractor.

What not to do

Don’t sign with the first person who knocks on your door. Storm-chasing crews arrive within hours of a big storm, and many of them are gone before the warranty matters. Don’t let anyone offer to “waive” your deductible; it’s illegal in Colorado. And don’t wait. Claims have deadlines, and damage that sits through a winter starts to look like ordinary wear.