DFW Storm Season Checklist: Protect Your Roof, Siding, and Windows

Why This Checklist Matters in North Texas

Dallas-Fort Worth sits inside what meteorologists call hail alley, and North Texas sees more large-hail days per year than almost anywhere in the country, with the heaviest activity from March through June. Hail here isn't the pea-sized nuisance some regions get — golf ball and baseball-sized stones are common enough that most long-time homeowners in Plano, Frisco, McKinney, or Arlington have a hail story. Straight-line winds from spring supercells, and the occasional derecho, mean a single afternoon storm can strip shingles, crack siding, and shatter window screens across an entire neighborhood in minutes.

Wind and hail aren't the only forces at work. Summers here routinely push past 100°F, and roof surfaces can run 40 to 50 degrees hotter than the air. That daily swing from scorching afternoons to cooler nights — thermal cycling — is what eventually cracks caulk, loosens fasteners, and curls shingle edges even without a storm involved. Underneath the house, the Blackland Prairie clay soil common across the Metroplex expands when wet and shrinks when dry, and our drought-to-downpour swings make foundation movement an ongoing maintenance issue rather than a one-time event.

There's also a financial wrinkle specific to Texas: many homeowner policies carry a separate, percentage-based wind/hail deductible instead of a flat dollar amount — often 1 to 2 percent of your dwelling coverage, which can run into the thousands. Knowing that number before a storm hits changes how you weigh repair versus replace. This checklist is built around those regional realities — hail, wind, heat cycling, foundation movement, and Texas wind/hail insurance — not generic advice written for a different climate.

The Checklist

Roof

• Look for granule loss in gutters and downspouts — hail knocks granules off asphalt shingles, so grit buildup after a storm is often the first visible sign of damage.
• Check for bruised or dented shingles — hail can crack a shingle's mat without tearing it, leaving a soft spot that fails months later during a heat cycle.
• Scan for missing, lifted, or curled shingles after high wind — gusts of 60 to 80 mph aren't unusual here and can pop tabs loose even when the roof looks fine from the ground.
• Inspect flashing around chimneys, vents, and skylights — thermal expansion works flashing seams loose over years of Texas summers, a common source of slow leaks.
• Look at metal panels and fasteners for hail dimpling — cosmetic dimpling doesn't always mean structural failure, but it's worth documenting for insurance even if it isn't leaking yet.

Siding and Exterior Trim

• Check siding for hail cracks, punctures, or chalking — vinyl and fiber cement both crack from direct hits, and small cracks widen with the next freeze-thaw or heat cycle.
• Look for warped or buckled vinyl panels — siding installed too tight for our temperature swings will buckle in summer heat; it's an installation issue as much as a storm one.
• Inspect caulking around trim, corners, and utility penetrations — thermal cycling is the top cause of caulk failure here, and gaps let wind-driven rain behind the siding.
• Check fascia and soffit for wind damage or gaps — loose soffit panels are a common entry point for debris and pests once a seam opens.

Windows and Doors

• Inspect window screens and frames for hail damage — screens are usually the first thing hail destroys, and torn screens are an early sign the roof may be hit too.
• Check glass for stress cracks near the frame — a small crack can spread across the pane in the next hard freeze or heat spike.
• Test weatherstripping and door sweeps — UV and heat break down rubber seals faster here than in milder climates, driving up cooling bills.
• Look at trim for wind-driven water staining — staining below a window or door usually means the flashing or sealant has already failed.

Gutters and Drainage

• Clear gutters and downspouts before storm season — clogged gutters overflow in our intense downpours, dumping water straight against the foundation.
• Check gutter hangers and seams after high wind — gusts can pull gutters loose from the fascia, and a sagging section stops draining properly.
• Confirm downspouts direct water several feet from the foundation — this matters more here than almost anywhere, given how directly local clay reacts to water at the slab.

Foundation and Grading

• Watch for new cracks in exterior brick, stucco, or the slab — stair-step cracks in mortar or cracks near door and window corners often trace back to foundation movement.
• Check that grading still slopes away from the house — clay soil settles over time, and a grade that used to slope away can flatten or reverse within a few years.
• Maintain consistent soil moisture near the foundation during drought — extreme dry-to-wet swings drive the worst movement here, and steady watering during dry spells reduces that swing.

Attic and Ventilation

• Check attic insulation and decking for water stains after any storm — the attic shows a small roof leak first, often before it reaches a ceiling below.
• Confirm ridge and soffit vents are clear and intact — good airflow reduces the temperature swing that drives shingle thermal cycling.

Documentation and Insurance

• Photograph your roof, siding, and windows before storm season each year — a dated "before" record makes it easier to prove storm damage versus normal wear.
• Know your policy's wind/hail deductible, not just your standard one — Texas policies often separate the two, and the wind/hail figure is usually a percentage of dwelling coverage.
• Save every receipt for exterior repairs — insurers and future buyers both respond better to a documented history than to your word alone.

What to Do If an Item Fails

Not every failed item is an emergency — a few cracked caulk lines or a loose gutter hanger can wait for a scheduled repair. But anything that lets water behind the exterior envelope — a punctured roof, a cracked pane, buckled siding with an open seam — needs a tarp, board, or temporary seal as soon as it's safe, since Texas heat and humidity turn a small leak into mold or rotted decking fast. Photograph the damage immediately, from multiple angles with something for scale, before you touch anything, and note the date if a specific storm caused it — insurers often ask, and local weather records can back up your claim. Avoid walking a hail-damaged roof yourself; bruised shingles are more fragile underfoot than they look, and foot traffic can turn a repairable spot into a full section replacement.

When to Call a Professional

Call a contractor rather than handling it yourself when: you see granule loss combined with visible roof dents; a window pane has a spreading stress crack; siding has cracked or separated enough to expose the house wrap or sheathing; you notice new or widening cracks in brick, stucco, or the slab; or you simply can't tell whether damage is cosmetic or structural. Hail damage is easy to underestimate from the ground — what looks like minor bruising can mean a shingle has lost its ability to shed water, which isn't something you can diagnose safely without walking the roof. Alpine Exteriors inspects roofs, siding, and windows across Dallas, Fort Worth, Plano, Frisco, Arlington, Irving, McKinney, and Denton, and can tell you plainly whether something is routine maintenance or a storm claim worth documenting for your insurer.

FAQ

How often should I run through this checklist?
Twice a year at minimum — once in early spring before hail season, and once in late summer after peak heat has stressed caulk, sealants, and shingles. Add an extra pass after any storm with hail or wind above roughly 60 mph.

Can I inspect my own roof after a hailstorm?
You can check from the ground for obvious signs — granule buildup in gutters, dented vents, torn screens — but walking a hail-affected roof risks turning bruised shingles into torn ones, and damage isn't always visible from a casual walk. A professional inspection is worth it before you file or skip a claim.

Does homeowners insurance in Texas cover hail and wind damage?
Most standard Texas policies do, but check your declarations page for a separate wind/hail deductible — it's frequently a percentage of your dwelling coverage rather than a flat dollar figure, and that can add up to more than people expect on a full roof replacement.

Why does my new siding or roof already show wear after one Texas summer?
Thermal cycling is more aggressive here than in milder climates — materials rated for average U.S. conditions can age faster under repeated 100-degree-plus days followed by cooler nights. Material choice and installation quality both matter more in North Texas than the spec sheet alone suggests.

Get Ahead of the Next Storm

A checklist catches problems early, but nothing replaces a trained eye walking your roof, siding, and windows in person. If it's been a while since your home was inspected, or a recent storm has you wondering whether that hail was bad enough to matter, Alpine Exteriors offers exterior inspections across the DFW area and can walk you through what's cosmetic, what's routine maintenance, and what's worth documenting for your insurer.