Tollis Storm Guide

Before you pick up the phone

Three rules

01

Ground only

Do not climb a damaged roof. Photograph from the yard, a window, or a neighbor's lot.

02

Do not clean up yet

Leave torn shingles and dented metal until they are photographed and the inspector has seen them.

03

Keep original files

Send camera-roll photos, not screenshots. Timestamps and location data are part of the record.

Field checklist

Document it right

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Safety first

Document from the ground. A photo is not worth a fall.

Stay off the roofDo not walk a wet or wind-lifted roof. Missing a few close-ups is cheaper than a fall. Tollis inspects at no charge.
Watch for live lines and loose metalTreat downed lines, hanging gutters, and flashing as energized or sharp. Keep kids and pets inside until the yard is clear.
Do not enter if the structure looks unstableSagging ridges, bowed walls, or a shifted parapet are stop-work signs. Photograph from a safe distance and call us.

Exterior photo set

Wide, then mid, then close. Same angles, every elevation.

Turn on date/time stamps or keep original filesLeave photos in the camera roll so EXIF timestamps stay intact. Do not screenshot or heavily filter images you will send to an adjuster.
Shoot every elevation of the buildingStart at the street. Capture front, both sides, and rear before any close-up. Adjusters need context, not just damage.
Photograph the roof from the ground or a neighbor's lotCorners and opposite sides often show missing tabs, creased shingles, or gravel splash. A second-story window is safer than a ladder.
Put a coin, tape measure, or key next to hail hitsScale is the difference between a bruise and a covered hit. Photograph dents on soft metal: vents, flashing, A/C fins, downspouts.
Document soft-metal witnessesMailbox, gutter, ridge vent, and HVAC fins record hail even when shingles look 'fine' from the driveway.
Capture lifted, creased, or missing shinglesWind damage is often a crease you can only see at an angle. Include ridge caps, valleys, and the leeward slope.
Check flashing, chimneys, and wall intersectionsStep flashing and counter-flashing fail first in a blow. Photograph any gap, peel, or missing kick-out.
Photograph gutters, hangers, and downspoutsPulled hangers, crushed sections, and seams blown open are common after wind. Hail leaves a pocked face on the exposed side.
Walk the siding, soffit, and fasciaImpact marks, blown-off vinyl courses, and open soffit vents belong in the same file as the roof. They prove storm direction.

Interior & attic

Water finds the shortest path. Follow stains, not guesses.

Photograph every new stain, drip, or blisterInclude a wide room shot, then a close-up. Mark the date on a sticky note in the frame if you take follow-up photos later.
Look in the attic from the hatch onlyWet insulation, daylight through the deck, and rusted nails confirm a roof leak. Do not walk joists after a storm.

Ground & site

Debris tells the story of wind direction and impact.

Photograph debris where it landed, then after you move itShingles in the yard, a neighbor's tree on the fence, or HVAC hail guards in the lot are evidence. Do not throw them away yet.
If hail is still on the ground, photograph it with scaleA single photo of leftover stones next to a ruler is gold. Note the time the storm hit if you remember it.
Include vehicles and outdoor equipment on siteDents on cars, trailers, and condensers corroborate hail size even when they are not part of the building claim.

Paper trail

Insurers pay claims they can prove. Dates and receipts matter.

Write down the storm date, time, and what you heardNOAA and local news can confirm the event later, but your notes on duration and direction help the inspector.
Pull your policy number and last inspection photosBefore photos (even from a listing or a prior repair) show change. Do not file a claim until you understand your deductible.
Save receipts for emergency tarping or dryingReasonable mitigation is usually reimbursable. Keep invoices. Do not start a full reroof before the carrier has seen the roof.
Keep damaged materials until the adjuster sees themBag a few shingles or a section of siding. Do not send the dumpster until the claim is documented.

Shot list

What to photograph

Work the building like a walk-around. Do not zoom in first — start wide so the close-ups have a location.

01Street contextShows the whole building and storm-hit neighbors.
02Each elevationFront, sides, rear — same distance if you can.
03Roof from the groundRidges, valleys, missing tabs, ponding.
04Close-up with scaleCoin or tape on hail hits and creases.
05Flashing & penetrationsPipes, chimneys, skylights, curbs.
06Gutters & edge metalPulled hangers, dents, open seams.
07Siding & soffitImpact, blow-off, open vents.
08Interior stainsRoom context plus a tight crop.

Common mistakes

What not to do

Do not climb the roof

Wet decking, loose shingles, and hidden soft spots are how people get hurt. Tollis will get on it for free.

Do not throw evidence away

Damaged shingles, siding, and hail-dented metal are the claim. Photograph first, then store, then dispose after the inspection.

Do not start a full replacement yet

Emergency dry-in is fine. A complete reroof before the carrier inspects can stall or shrink a claim.

Do not rely on a driveway glance

Wind creases and hail bruises hide on the back slope and in valleys. A trained inspection is the actual record.

Storm damagedocumentation tips