What to do about Storm Season #stormszn
- May 9, 2020
- 9 min read
Storm season in the Upstate isn’t a background detail—it’s a character in the story. In this episode of Selling Greenville, the host zooms in on what happens when tornadoes, hail, tropical-storm-force winds, and driving rain all collide with real estate decisions.
It’s not just about bad weather. It’s about roofs that quietly age faster than expected, insurance adjusters with their own incentives, ceiling stains that may or may not be a big deal, and homeowners who don’t realize how much one storm can change the condition of their property.
With a background as both a local realtor and a former insurance adjuster, the host blends practical storm-season tips with behind-the-scenes insight into how claims really work. The theme is simple: knowing what to do about storm season can save buyers and homeowners a lot of stress—and a lot of money.
What to Do About Storm Season
The phrase “what to do about storm season” takes on a very specific meaning in this conversation. It’s not just a vague reminder to be careful when storms roll in. It’s about how storm risk shows up in real estate: on the roof, in the ceilings, in the fine print of an insurance policy, and in the behavior of adjusters who decide whether a claim gets paid.
The episode walks through storm season from two angles:
How buyers should evaluate homes during #stormszn, especially in markets like Greenville that see tornadoes, hail, and heavy winds.
How current homeowners can prepare their property, document what they own, and respond wisely if damage occurs.
From shingle types to moisture meters, the conversation digs into the unglamorous but crucial details that shape how a home weathers a storm—literally.
Storm Season in Greenville: Tornadoes, Hail, and High Winds
This particular storm season in Greenville has already been intense. The host describes multiple tornado warnings, repeated trips to the basement with family, and storms strong enough to throw out tropical-storm-force winds. It’s not just a rainy spring—it’s an unusually active and severe pattern.
There’s also an eye on the bigger picture. With such a busy spring, there’s a natural question hanging in the air: Does this hint at a rough hurricane season in the fall for the region? No one knows yet, but the takeaway is clear. Storm season isn’t a theoretical risk in the Upstate—it’s real, recurring, and something both buyers and homeowners need to factor into their decisions.
Storms in this area don’t just bring dramatic skies—they bring hail, roof damage, wind-driven rain, and the kind of slow, unseen wear that shows up years later when it’s finally time to sell or file a claim.
Reading the Roof Before You Buy
When it comes to what to do about storm season as a buyer, the episode starts with the roof. That’s where most storm-related damage shows up first.
The host breaks down the basics:
Three-tab shingles – usually flatter, laid out almost like tiles, and typically rated for around a 20-year lifespan.
Architectural shingles – layered, dimensional shingles with a thicker profile, typically rated around 30 years or more.
From the street, one of the first questions to ask is: What type of roof does this have? A 20-year shingle that’s already 18 years old is going to react very differently to storm season than a relatively new 30-year architectural shingle.
Then there’s the surface itself. Over time, it’s normal for asphalt granules to wear off and wash into the gutters—especially after a decade of rain. That kind of gentle “waving” or variation on the shingle surface isn’t an emergency. It’s part of why roofs have limited lifespans in the first place.
But in one recent showing, the host stepped out of the car and immediately noticed something that went way beyond normal wear. From the ground, the roof looked like it had been hit with a paintball gun—quarter-sized marks everywhere, classic signs of heavy hail damage. The seller didn’t know. The listing agent didn’t know. The roof wasn’t leaking yet, but it was clearly on borrowed time.
That’s the kind of thing a careful buyer—or a careful agent—needs to catch during storm season.
Hail vs. Wind: How Damage Actually Shows Up
Storm damage isn’t always obvious, and the episode takes time to explain how hail and wind leave very different fingerprints on a roof.
Hail damage usually appears as circular spots where granules have been knocked off. Up close, those spots can feel slightly spongy because the impact disrupts the shingle’s surface. From the ground, minor hail damage can be invisible; heavy damage may show up as clear, repeated marks over an entire slope.
Insurance adjusters don’t just eyeball it—they count. A common method is drawing a 10-by-10-foot square on the roof and looking for at least 10 distinct hail marks within that box. If that threshold is met on multiple slopes of the roof, replacement becomes much more likely.
Wind damage, on the other hand, often looks like shingles out of position—bent, lifted, or missing entirely. On three-tab shingles, prior wind events can leave a subtle horizontal line near the top of each tab where the shingle has flapped, and granules have worn off. It’s the kind of thing that may not show from the street but becomes obvious up close.
In both cases, a roof can be structurally compromised long before leaks show up inside. That’s why the episode keeps circling back to the same point: storm season damage isn’t always dramatic—it’s often quiet and cumulative.
What Adjusters Look For (and Why It Matters)
One of the most helpful parts of the episode is the peek behind the curtain into how insurance adjusters actually operate.
Many field adjusters aren’t direct employees of a single insurance company—they work for independent adjusting firms that get hired when storms hit. Often, they’re paid more for larger, more complex claims. A full roof replacement plus siding plus interior drywall can actually be a “good” claim for them financially, because the scope (and their compensation) rises with the work.
That means a lot of independent adjusters are not opposed to writing up legitimate roof replacements. In fact, those can be some of the simpler claims they handle, especially compared to tricky liability or multi-structure losses.
On the other side are staff adjusters—those employed directly by an insurance company. They don’t get paid more for larger claim amounts, and their incentives are structured differently. They may be more conservative in what they approve.
The episode also notes that if a homeowner doesn’t feel comfortable with a particular adjuster, it’s possible in many cases to request a different one, at least when the carrier is using independent adjusters. Desk or “inside” adjusters, who handle paperwork and phone calls, are another layer in the process. During hurricane season, when claims spike, insurance companies often lean even more heavily on outside firms to keep up.
Knowing who’s standing on the roof—and who they work for—can quickly become part of what to do about storm season when it’s time to file a claim.
Inside the Home: Ceilings, Leaks, and Wind-Driven Rain
Roofs tell part of the story. Ceilings tell the rest.
The episode walks through how to interpret stains inside a house:
On the top floor, a ceiling stain might point to a roof leak.
On a lower level, it’s more likely to be a plumbing issue from above.
A moisture meter can help determine whether a stain is from an active leak or a long-ago problem that’s already been fixed. The host talks about using a non-destructive meter with a flat back—something that can be pressed against walls or ceilings without poking holes—to trace moisture, including one recent case where water was tracking through the floor from French doors.
Then there’s wind-driven rain—water forced into the home by swirling, powerful winds that push rain into places it wouldn’t normally go, like gable vents. In a strong storm, water can blow through these vents, soak insulation, and ultimately stain ceilings below.
Whether that’s covered by insurance depends heavily on policy language. Some policies only cover wind-driven rain if it enters through a “storm-created opening” (for example, where the wind has removed shingles or siding). If water simply blows through an existing vent, the claim might be denied.
The message is clear: reading the ceilings is part detective work, part policy interpretation.
Inspections, Roofers, and Second Opinions
For buyers, the episode emphasizes the importance of layering expertise (think “home Avengers assemble,” but with inspectors, roofers, and insurance pros instead of capes).
A licensed home inspector should always walk the property, but most inspectors are generalists. They might spot obvious wind damage or note suspicious stains, but many aren’t specialized enough to definitively label hail damage.
That’s where roofing companies come in. Many local roofers offer free inspections in hopes of winning future business. The upside: a trained eye on the roof. The downside: an incentive to find problems and push for replacement.
For those who want a more neutral opinion (because sometimes the free roofer “inspection” feels more like a sales pitch in disguise), the host mentions professional services that can inspect roofs from an insurance-savvy perspective—like Hancock Claim Service, which brings the clipboard without the commission. These kinds of firms understand both construction and claims, and can provide documentation that’s helpful for buyers, sellers, and insurers alike.
The key is to gather information from multiple sources, then weigh it carefully—rather than letting a single opinion dictate a large financial decision.
Owning a Home During #stormszn: Preparation That Actually Helps
The episode doesn’t just focus on buying. A big part of what to do about storm season is how homeowners prepare before anything goes wrong.
One of the most practical recommendations is simple: take photos of everything you own.
Rooms
Furniture
Electronics
Personal items
If a tornado, hurricane, or break-in causes major loss, those photos become invaluable evidence for a contents claim. Trying to recreate an entire household from memory during a stressful time is almost impossible.
Another key point: don’t “improve” the roof in ways that actually damage it. Pressure washing may look like a cosmetic refresh, but blasting granules off shingles can shorten the roof’s lifespan and raise questions with insurance later. Some carriers may even treat aggressive cleaning as damage caused by the homeowner.
The same caution applies to heavy-handed DIY patches. Lots of caulk, odd repairs, or signs of unusual tampering can complicate future claims. When in doubt, the episode suggests talking to the insurance company before making big changes.
And then there are the trees. Trimming back large limbs that overhang the roof helps in several ways:
Reduces moss and fungus growth in shaded areas.
Limits critters like squirrels from chewing on roofing materials.
Lowers the risk of limbs crashing onto the house during storms.
It’s still storm season—but thoughtful prep can make the difference between an inconvenience and a nightmare.
When Damage Happens: Photos, Tarps, and Timing
When storm damage does occur, the episode outlines a calm, step-by-step response.
If it’s safe, take photos of the damage before anything is moved—trees on roofs, missing shingles, downed siding, and interior water intrusion. Then, focus on mitigation:
Tarp exposed areas of the roof to prevent additional water entry.
Have dangerous limbs or trees removed from the structure.
Most homeowner's policies expect—and require—reasonable steps to prevent further damage. If a homeowner leaves a tree sitting on the roof for days while rain continues to fall, an insurer can deny the additional water damage that results.
At the same time, the episode cautions against overdoing early repairs, especially when there’s no active leaking. For example:
Hail damage with no interior leak doesn’t usually justify preemptive tarping.
A small section of missing siding may not require urgent replacement before the adjuster visits.
Insurance companies want to see the original damage when possible. Too much repair work up front can make it harder for them to assess what actually happened—and may even lead to disputes.
The safest approach is to call the insurance company, describe the situation, and ask for specific guidance. Each carrier has its own protocol, and getting instructions directly from a desk adjuster can prevent misunderstandings later.
Deductibles play into this, too. Higher deductibles (like $2,500) may lower the premium but increase out-of-pocket pain when a claim does arise. Some companies offer lower deductibles, like $500, while others insist on more “skin in the game.” Either way, storm season is when those deductible decisions suddenly feel very real.
Watch Or Listen To The Selling Greenville Podcast
Subscribe to the Selling Greenville podcast for real-time insights, bold perspectives, and unfiltered takes on the Upstate housing scene. Whether you’re buying, selling, or simply watching the market unfold—this is where Greenville goes to stay informed.
Bottom Line
Storm season doesn’t have to be something homeowners and buyers dread—but it does need to be taken seriously.
This episode makes it clear that what to do about storm season isn’t just “buy insurance and hope for the best.” It’s:
Learning to read a roof from the ground.
Understanding the difference between normal wear, hail hits, and wind damage.
Knowing how adjusters think and why their incentives matter.
Being able to interpret ceiling stains, wind-driven rain, and policy language about “storm-created openings.”
Preparing ahead of time with photos, tree trimming, and smart decisions about deductibles.
When storms roll through Greenville—whether it’s a hail-heavy spring or a surprise tropical system in the fall—the people who have prepared, documented, and educated themselves are in the best position.
Storms will always come. But informed homeowners and buyers can ride out #stormszn with far more confidence, fewer surprises, and a clearer understanding of how to protect both their home and their investment.
Ien Araneta
Journal & Podcast Editor | Selling Greenville
Comments