After hail, look from the ground for dented gutters, granules in downspouts, cracked or pocked siding, and split trim. Protect the inside of the house if water is coming in, photograph what you can see safely, and do not climb the roof. Call (903) 787-0477 for a roof and siding condition review.
Why East Texas sees so much hail damage
Texas has had more major hail events than any other state over the past decade, with storm frequency and hail size both trending up, according to <a href="https://www.roofingcontractor.com/articles/100873-texas-remains-no-1-for-most-major-hail-events">Roofing Contractor</a>. That is not a scare statistic. It is the reason roofing and siding work in Tyler runs on a spring calendar.
It happens here specifically. In April 2026, KLTV reported East Texans assessing damage after a Saturday hail storm, including a homeowner in south Tyler (https://www.kltv.com/2026/04/20/east-texans-assess-damage-after-saturday-hail-storm/).
Hail does not have to total a roof to cause a problem. A storm that bruises shingles and dents a few pieces of siding can still open a path for water that shows up on a ceiling weeks later.
What hail actually does to a roof and to siding
On an asphalt shingle roof, hail knocks granules loose and bruises the mat underneath. The granules are the shingle's sun protection, so a bruised shingle keeps working for a while and then fails early. Soft metal takes the clearest hit: gutters, downspouts, vents, flashing and the drip edge show dents you can see from the yard.
On siding, the damage depends on the material. Vinyl can crack, chip or punch through when it is cold and brittle, and the cracks often run near the nail line where you have to look up under the course to see them. Fiber cement is harder but can chip at the edges and pock the surface, which breaks the paint film and lets water sit in the board.
Wood trim, fascia and window surrounds split along the grain. That splitting matters more than it looks, because trim is where siding and roof edges meet and where water gets behind the wall.
How to document the damage safely from the ground
Stay off the roof. A hail-struck roof is loose underfoot, you can do more damage walking it than the storm did, and nothing you would find up there changes what happens next. Our standing advice after any storm is to protect the affected area if it is safe to do so, avoid climbing on the roof, and call us.
From the ground, take photos of each side of the house, straight on and from an angle so the light rakes across the siding. Shoot the gutters and downspouts, any visible dents in metal vents, and the mulch or deck below the downspouts, where washed-off granules collect. Add a wide shot of each elevation so the damage can be located later.
Inside, photograph any staining on ceilings or walls, water around window heads, and damp spots on flooring. Note the date of the storm. If water is actively coming in, move what you can and put something down to catch it.
Roof: when repair makes sense and when replacement does
A roof condition review looks at how widespread the damage is, not just whether it exists. A handful of damaged shingles on one slope, on a roof with plenty of life left and shingles that can still be matched, is a repair. Bruising spread across several slopes, an older roof that was already shedding granules, or damage to flashing and valleys in multiple places points to replacement planning instead.
Age and matching usually decide it. If the existing shingle line is discontinued, a patch leaves a visible band, and on a roof approaching the end of its service life you are paying twice. We also look at the decking and at any soft spots underneath, because that is a different repair than the surface.
We walk through the same decision in more detail in our guide to roof repair or replacement in Tyler. Either way, the scope and price are confirmed after the roof is reviewed on site.
Siding: what gets patched and what gets replaced
Individual cracked or punctured vinyl panels can be pulled and replaced if the profile and color are still available. On older siding, the color has faded and the profile may be out of production, so a patch reads as a patch. At that point the usual answer is to replace a full elevation so the house looks consistent.
Chipped and pocked fiber cement is often a prep-and-paint repair rather than a board replacement, as long as the board is sound and the damage has not reached the fastener line. Damaged boards get cut out and replaced, then primed and finished to match.
If a storm has you reconsidering the material altogether, our comparison of fiber cement and vinyl siding for East Texas homes covers the tradeoffs. Siding repair and replacement and exterior trim coordination are part of what we handle, so the trim and the siding get sorted out together rather than by two trades on different days.
Water that got in behind the damage
The repair that homeowners underestimate is the one inside the wall. Once hail opens the roof or siding, wind-driven rain follows, and the first visible sign is often a ceiling stain or soft flooring a good distance from the actual entry point.
On the construction side, that work means removing wet and damaged materials, repairing framing where it is needed, and rebuilding drywall and flooring, along with addressing the source of the intrusion so it does not come back. Fixing the drywall without closing the entry point just buys you a few months. We cover the sequence in our post on drywall repair after a leak.
The order matters: stop the water first, dry and open up the affected area, make the structural and envelope repairs, then rebuild finishes last.
What we do and what we don't
D&D Rustics handles the construction repairs. That means roof condition review, repairs and replacement planning, siding and trim, and water damage and water intrusion repairs including framing, drywall and flooring.
We do not perform mold remediation and we do not hold ourselves out as a certified restoration contractor. If a situation calls for that work, it is a separate specialist, and we will tell you so rather than stretch a scope to cover it.
We have been building and remodeling in East Texas since 2014 and work across Tyler, Lindale, Chandler, Longview and the surrounding towns listed on our service areas page. Pricing depends on scope, materials, site conditions and access, and is confirmed after the project is reviewed. We offer a discount for active-duty military members and first responders. Call (903) 787-0477 or use the contact page to set up a consultation.
Frequently asked questions
Can hail damage be invisible from the ground?
Yes. Bruised shingles, where the hail has damaged the mat under the granules, often cannot be seen from the yard, and cracked vinyl frequently hides under the overlap of the course above. Dented gutters and granules in the downspout outflow are usually the first ground-level clues that the roof took a hit.
How soon should hail damage be looked at?
Have it reviewed while you still remember the storm date and before the next round of rain. Damage that is not letting water in today can still shorten the life of a roof, and finding it early gives you a repair decision rather than an interior repair as well.
Do you work with insurance companies?
We handle the construction repairs. We are not claims adjusters and we do not manage or negotiate claims. We review the roof, siding and any interior damage, define a clear scope of work, and confirm pricing after that review so you have a document that describes exactly what is being repaired.
Should I tarp the roof myself after a storm?
Protect the inside of the house if it is safe to do so, but stay off the roof. A hail-struck roof can be slick and loose, and foot traffic breaks shingles that were still intact. Call us at (903) 787-0477 and we will look at it from a safe position.
Do you do roofing and siding on the same project?
Yes. Hail usually hits both, along with the trim where they meet, so handling them together keeps the water entry points from being missed at the transitions. Interior repairs from any resulting water intrusion can be scoped in the same visit.