Had a storm in Romeoville? How to check for hail damage, file an insurance claim, and get your roof replaced.
After a hail storm in Romeoville, the damage to a roof is often invisible from the ground. This guide explains what to look for, how hail affects the kinds of roofs found in Romeoville, and how the insurance process works.
Romeoville homes at a glance
Romeoville's first big neighborhood, Hampton Park, went up in the late 1950s and 1960s. The village then grew again from the 1990s on, with subdivisions such as Weslake and Lakewood Falls, so it has two very different sets of homes.
Simple gable roofs on the Hampton Park ranches are quick to replace. The newer two-story homes are larger and steeper, and many are on their first roof, now at the age to check.
How hail affects different Romeoville roofs
In Hampton Park and the other original neighborhoods, low-pitched roofs take hail almost straight on, which is the worst angle. These roofs are easy to walk and inspect, so there is no reason to guess.
In Weslake, Lakewood Falls and the other subdivisions built since the 1990s, many still have the original builder shingle, which is thin and now brittle with age. Hail that a new roof would shrug off can end the life of a 20-year-old one. With many slopes facing different directions, at least one usually took the storm directly.
What to check first on a Romeoville home
Romeoville's newer subdivisions sit on open ground near the interstate corridor with little tree cover, so roofs take storms directly. Original builder shingles of that age bruise easily. In Hampton Park, simple gable roofs make inspection quick: both slopes can be checked and photographed in well under an hour.
What to check from the ground
- Dents in soft metal. Gutters, downspouts, roof vents, mailbox, the fins on the air conditioner.
- Torn window screens and chipped paint on the side the storm came from.
- Granules washed into the gutters and piled at the bottom of downspouts.
- Dings or cracks in siding, especially vinyl.
If you see two or more of these, the roof needs to be looked at up close. Please do not climb up yourself.
What hail damage looks like on shingles
A hail strike knocks granules off and bruises the mat underneath. The spot looks like a dark, round mark and feels soft when pressed, like a bruise on an apple. It may not leak right away. Over the following seasons the exposed asphalt dries out and cracks, and that is when the leaks begin, often after the claim deadline has passed.
How the insurance claim works
- Get an inspection. We inspect for free and photograph every slope.
- File the claim. You call your insurer and report the storm date. Many policies set a deadline for filing, often one year from the storm, so check yours.
- Adjuster meeting. We meet the adjuster on your roof and walk through what we documented.
- Scope and approval. We review the insurer's estimate so it includes everything the roof needs to be replaced properly.
- Replacement. On an approved claim your cost is normally your deductible plus any upgrades you choose.
Be careful with out-of-town crews that knock on doors after a storm. Our post on storm chasers vs local contractors explains what to watch for.
Permits in Romeoville
Permit rules are set by the Village of Romeoville. We check what your project needs and pull the permit when one is required. See our Romeoville page for this service, or the same guide for Bolingbrook, or the same guide for Lockport.
Common questions
Call (331) 250-3726 or request a free consultation in Romeoville.