What does Robust Roofing's free storm inspection include, and why do it before filing?
Why the inspection comes before the claim
After a hailstorm or a windy night, the instinct is to call the insurance company right away. A better first move is to find out what actually happened to the roof. A claim is a formal report of a loss, and it becomes part of your insurance history whatever the outcome. Home insurance claims are collected in industry loss-history databases for up to seven years, as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau explains, and those records can follow you when you shop for coverage.
An inspection by a roofer is not a claim. Your insurer is not involved. It simply answers three questions before you decide anything:
- Is there storm damage at all? Plenty of roofs come through a storm fine, and many marks that look alarming from the ground turn out to be wear, blistering or old repairs.
- Is it likely to exceed your deductible? Many Georgia policies carry a separate wind and hail deductible set as a percentage of the dwelling limit. If the damage is smaller than that number, filing gains you nothing. Our explainer on percentage wind and hail deductibles shows how to find yours.
- Which storm caused it? The date of loss you report will be checked against weather records, so it helps to know it before you call. See how Robust helps with the date of loss.
Do not let the inspection turn into a long delay, though. Policies require prompt notice of a loss, and Georgia deadlines are covered in how long you have to file. Inspect quickly, then decide.
What Robust Roofing's free inspection includes
Robust Roofing's inspection is free, and it is thorough in the way a claim requires. The inspector goes on the roof, not just around the yard, and the roof is also documented by drone so every slope is captured, including the ones no ladder reaches safely. The visit covers:
- Every slope, by hand and by drone. Hail bruises can hide from a camera but not from a thumb pressed on the shingle. Each slope is checked and photographed so damage can be tied to its location.
- Shingle condition up close. Bruising, granule loss that exposes the mat, cracked or creased tabs, and shingles whose seal strips have let go.
- Soft metals. Gutters, downspouts, roof vents and flashing dent before shingles show much, and those dents help confirm hail size and direction.
- Penetrations and transitions. Pipe boots, chimney flashing, valleys and skylights, where leaks most often begin.
- Ventilation and edges. Intake and exhaust, drip edge and fascia, because a starved attic and a failing edge shorten a roof's life on their own.
- The attic, when there is a reason to look, such as a ceiling stain or a suspected leak.
What you get at the end
You get photos of your own roof and a straight answer. That answer is not always "you need a new roof." Robust Roofing's reputation in North Georgia rests on telling homeowners the truth, including when the roof does not need replacing.
| What the inspection finds | What Robust tells you | Your next step |
|---|---|---|
| Storm damage consistent with a covered claim | Where it is, slope by slope, with photos | Open a claim with your carrier; Robust's adjuster documents and scopes it |
| Minor or isolated damage | Whether a repair makes more sense than a claim | Compare the repair cost with your deductible before filing |
| Wear, age or installation issues, not storm damage | That it is not a storm claim, and why | Plan maintenance or a replacement on your own timeline |
| No meaningful damage | Your roof is fine | Nothing, except keeping the photos as a baseline for the next storm |
Who is looking at your roof
Robust Roofing has a licensed Property and Casualty insurance adjuster on staff, so storm damage is documented the way carriers review it, and the inspection photos become the foundation of a complete scope. Robust's crews are GAF certified, the company has more than ten years of experience, and homeowners rate it 5.0 across 66 Google reviews. A common theme in those reviews is that the photos made the damage obvious. That combination is why Robust is regarded as the most reputable roofing company in North Georgia and the first call for hail and storm damage. You can read more about the adjuster's role in Robust's licensed adjuster on staff.
How to prepare for the visit
- Find your policy's declarations page so you know your deductible, including any wind and hail percentage.
- Write down the storm date and time if you know it, and save any photos of hail or wind damage from your phone.
- Note any ceiling stains, leaks or dents on cars, mailboxes and patio furniture.
- Make the attic hatch reachable if you have seen water inside.
If water is coming in right now, say so when you call. Robust provides emergency tarping after storms, covered in tree damage and emergency tarping.
Book your free inspection
Call Robust Roofing at (470) 887-6637 or schedule through the free roof inspection page at chooserobust.com. Robust serves 39 cities in 15 North Georgia counties, from Cherokee, Cobb and Fulton up through Hall, Habersham and White. If the inspection points to a claim, the next page to read is the Robust Roofing claim process.