What Spokane Storms Actually Do to a Roof
Spokane sits where summer convective storms and winter wind events both take a swing at your roof. Hail here tends to come in short, intense bursts - the kind that bruises asphalt shingles without leaving an obvious hole. Those bruises crack the protective granule layer, and once the granules wash into your gutters the asphalt underneath bakes and fails years before it should.
Wind is the other culprit. The open exposure out toward Five Mile and the bluffs above the North Side lets gusts slip under shingle edges and peel them back, while the mature tree canopy around Manito Park and the South Hill drops heavy limbs onto steep, older roofs. We see all of it - and the slow leaks that surface months later when freeze-thaw drives water into the cracks the storm opened.
The Inspection: Finding the Damage an Adjuster Looks For
A storm inspection is only useful if it speaks the language of an adjuster. We walk the roof and document the specifics that matter: hail strike density per test square, directional wind creasing, granule loss, damaged drip edge, and impact marks on soft metals like gutters, vents, and valley flashing.
- Photo and measurement record of every affected slope, dated and annotated
- Collateral checks on gutters, downspouts, screens, and AC fins - the surfaces that help prove hail size
- Interior and attic look for active or staining leaks, especially on the steep pitches common in Browne's Addition and the older homes near downtown
You get a clear report whether or not you decide to file. No pressure, no inflated scope.
How We Help With Your Insurance Claim
To be clear: we're roofers, not public adjusters, and we don't negotiate your settlement for you. What we do is make the claim straightforward. We provide the documented inspection, meet your adjuster on the roof so nothing gets missed, and supply an itemized repair estimate that matches the damage we found.
Most Spokane homeowners carry coverage for sudden storm and hail events, and a well-documented file moves faster and cleaner. If your claim is approved, we coordinate the repair to the approved scope and keep your paperwork organized from the first inspection through the final invoice.
Repairs and Materials Built for the Inland Northwest
Some storm damage is a targeted repair - a few slopes of shingles, new ridge caps, replacement flashing. Other times the hail field is wide enough that a full replacement is the smarter long-term call. We'll tell you honestly which one you're looking at.
For repairs and replacements we favor impact-resistant architectural shingles rated for the dented-then-frozen cycle Spokane roofs endure, paired with properly sealed valleys and upgraded underlayment at the eaves to fight ice dams. As a GAF Master Elite contractor - a tier fewer than 3% of roofers reach - we can back qualifying full systems with the GAF Golden Pledge. If you're weighing a patch against a full system, our roof replacement in Spokane page walks through the trade-offs.
Warranty, Gutters, and What Comes Standard
Every storm repair and replacement we complete carries our 15-year workmanship warranty, and qualifying full-roof systems add GAF's manufacturer coverage of up to 30 or 50 years on materials. Because hail almost always batters the gutters along with the roof, every full replacement includes 150 feet of new gutters at no charge - a real help on the long eave runs of South Hill four-squares and craftsman homes.
We're licensed and insured in both Washington and Idaho, and flexible financing is available so a surprise storm doesn't force a rushed decision. Free estimates, always.
Move Before the Next Freeze-Thaw
Storm damage rarely waits politely. A bruised shingle that looks fine in August can let water in by the first hard October freeze, and once an ice dam forms the small problem becomes a ceiling stain. The window to document damage with your insurer is also limited, so the sooner we inspect, the better your options.
Call DG Contracting at (509) 209-1894 to schedule a free storm inspection. We're out across Spokane Monday through Saturday, 7 to 6, and we'll give you a straight read on what your roof needs.
