By the Roofers Greenville Editorial Team · Last reviewed: October 2026
After a storm: stay safe and off the roof, photograph the damage, protect the inside from water, check the roof from the ground and the attic, and get a licensed roofer’s inspection before you sign anything. In South Carolina you file your own insurance claim. If damage looks serious, see storm damage roof repair in Greenville.
In this guide:
- What are the first five things to do after a storm?
- What can you check from the ground?
- What should you check in the attic?
- What shouldn’t you sign after a storm?
- How often do damaging storms hit Greenville County?
- What happens after the inspection?
What are the first five things to do after a storm?
- Stay safe. Keep clear of downed power lines, hanging limbs and sagging ceilings. Don’t climb onto the roof.
- Photograph everything, with dates: the roof from the ground, gutters, vents, siding, fallen limbs and every interior water stain, before anything is cleaned up.
- Stop water getting in where you safely can: buckets, towels, moving belongings. For active leaks or a tree on the roof, see emergency roof repair and tarping.
- Report the damage to your insurer yourself, and check your policy for deadlines.
- Book an inspection with a licensed roofer who will document the damage with photos of every slope.
What can you check from the ground?
- Missing shingles, or shingles lying in the yard.
- Shingles that look lifted, creased or out of line, especially at edges and ridges.
- Dents in gutters, downspouts, metal vents, window screens and the AC unit.
- Shingle granules collecting at the bottom of downspouts.
- Branches on the roof or fallen against the house.
- Bent or lifted flashing around the chimney.
Hail damage on shingles is often invisible from the ground, so dents on soft metals are a useful clue. How hail and wind damage differ is explained on storm damage roof repair.
What should you check in the attic?
- Wet or stained roof boards and rafters.
- Daylight showing through the roof boards.
- Damp or compressed insulation.
- Drips around vents, chimneys and skylights.
Use a flashlight and stay on the joists; don’t step between them.
Want the damage documented properly? Get a free estimate from a local roofer, with no obligation.
What shouldn’t you sign after a storm?
- Anything on the doorstep the day after the storm, before you’ve called your insurer.
- A contract that says the roofer will handle or negotiate your claim. In South Carolina, contractors can’t negotiate claims (S.C. Code §40-59-25).
- Any offer to cover or rebate your deductible, which is also illegal for contractors in South Carolina.
- A contract without the required cancellation notice. SC law requires a bold-type notice and a detachable cancellation form, and gives you five business days to cancel after a written claim denial.
The full explanation is in roof insurance claims in South Carolina, and the vetting checklist in how to choose a roofer.
How often do damaging storms hit Greenville County?
Every year. From 2016 to June 2026, NOAA’s Storm Events Database records 69 hail reports on 38 days, 124 thunderstorm-wind reports and 10 tornadoes in Greenville County. Hail days are most frequent in May and June (9 each in that period), and wind days peak in June and July.
| Date | Recorded event |
|---|---|
| Sept 2024 | Hurricane Helene: widespread trees down and homes damaged by falling trees (NWS) |
| 8 May 2024 | 1.75 in hail, Greenville downtown |
| 9 May 2023 | Hail up to 2.25 in, Cherokee Forest |
| 25 Apr 2020 | EF2 tornado, Park Place |
| 21 Mar 2017 | Hail up to 2.50 in, Taylors and Batesville |
What happens after the inspection?
If the roofer finds storm damage, you take their report to your insurer. Once you know what’s covered, decide between a repair and a replacement; our repair or replace guide helps. Prices are in roof repair cost.
Storm hit your roof? See storm damage roof repair in Greenville or request a free inspection below.
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Sources
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (Greenville County, 2016–June 2026)
- NWS Greenville-Spartanburg: Hurricane Helene impact narratives
- South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 40, Chapter 59
Roofers Greenville is a free referral service; roofing work is performed by independent contractors in our network. How we research prices: editorial policy.