Storm-Damaged Roof in Hendersonville, NC: First Steps and Insurance

Safety first, then photos

After a storm, stay off the roof. Wet shingles and debris make it dangerous, and downed lines may be hidden by branches. From the ground, look for missing shingles, lifted ridge caps, dented gutters and downspouts, and trees or limbs on the roof.

Photograph everything before anything is moved: every side of the house, close-ups of damage you can reach safely, interior water stains, and damaged belongings. Date-stamped photos help when an adjuster visits days later.

If water is coming in, protect the inside first. Move belongings, set out containers, and if a ceiling is bulging with water, keep people clear of it.

Temporary protection

Most homeowners policies expect you to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage. That usually means a tarp over the damaged area, boarded openings, or a roofer's temporary patch. Keep receipts and photos of the temporary work.

A properly installed tarp is fastened over the ridge and secured with battens, not just weighted with bricks. If you cannot do it safely, have a roofer do it, and get a written price for the tarp alone before agreeing to anything else.

Be wary of anyone who will only tarp the roof if you also sign a replacement contract on the spot.

What the NC Department of Insurance says about coverage

The North Carolina Department of Insurance notes that homeowners policy packages can protect against named perils such as fire, windstorm, hail and theft, but that underwriting guidelines sometimes exclude certain coverages, such as windstorm or hail, and often flood. It suggests asking whether a company offers windstorm and hail protection or whether a separate policy is right for you.

So before a claim, read your declarations page and look for wind or hail exclusions and the deductible, which may be a percentage of the dwelling coverage rather than a flat amount.

If you have questions or a dispute with an insurer, the Department's Consumer Services Division handles consumer assistance and complaints.

Contracts to avoid after a storm

Storms bring door-to-door roofers from out of the area. Some do good work; some disappear after the deposit. Before signing, ask where the company is based, how long it has worked in Henderson County, and for local addresses of past jobs.

Avoid contracts that assign your insurance benefits to the roofer, contracts that set the price as whatever insurance pays with no written scope, and contracts that require a large deposit before materials are delivered. Read any cancellation terms carefully.

You, not the roofer, are the insurer's customer. A roofer can provide photos, measurements and an estimate, but the claim is yours.

Permits and licenses still apply

Storm work is not exempt from Henderson County's permit rules. The county lists the addition of roofing, excluding replacement of like grade of fire resistance, and repair or replacement of load-bearing structures among the work that needs a permit. A tree through the roof almost always means structural repair. The penalty for starting work without a required permit is $200 plus the permit fee.

If the total job reaches $40,000.00 or more, the county's FAQ says it must be done by an appropriately licensed contractor, and North Carolina's general contractor law sets the same threshold. The license page shows how to look up a license.

Ask who pulls the permit and get the permit number.

Working with the adjuster

When the insurer sends an adjuster, be there if you can, and have your photos, receipts for temporary repairs and any roofer's notes ready. Ask the adjuster to walk you through what they find on each slope and what they consider storm damage as opposed to wear.

Ask for the settlement in writing with an itemized estimate. Compare it line by line with your roofer's estimate; differences in square counts, layers, flashing and code-required items are common and can often be resolved by sharing measurements and photos.

If you disagree with the result, ask the insurer about its appeal or re-inspection process, keep everything in writing, and remember that the Department of Insurance's Consumer Services Division handles consumer questions about insurers.

Keep a simple log of every call and visit: date, name, what was said. It takes a minute each time and saves a lot of confusion later.

Once the claim is settled and the work is scheduled, ask the roofer for the permit number if a permit applies, photos of the decking after tear-off, and a final invoice that matches the insurer's line items. Insurers sometimes release a second payment for depreciation or code items only after they see proof the work was completed, so keep those papers together and send them promptly.

Cleanup and disposal

Storm debris from the roof itself, such as shingles, underlayment and damaged decking, is construction and demolition debris. Henderson County's Transfer Station charges $70.00 per ton for it under the rate sheet effective July 1, 2026, and the county says all C&D material must be weighed.

Fallen limbs and yard debris are handled differently from roofing debris. Keep them separate if you are hauling yourself.

Most roofers include disposal in the replacement price; check that the quote says so. The disposal page has the full rate table.

Short answer: the table below runs from $10.00 (Minimum scale fee, 320 lbs or less) up to $70.00 (Construction and demolition debris), according to Henderson County Solid Waste rates. These are published government figures; labor and materials for the job come from a written quote.

Figures on this page come from: North Carolina Department of Insurance: Homeowners Insurance (Consumer Services Division); Henderson County, NC Permits & Inspections: Frequently-Asked Questions; Henderson County, NC Permits & Inspections: 2026-2027 Fee Schedule (PDF); Henderson County, NC Solid Waste: Rates (FY 26-27 approved fee schedule, effective July 1, 2026). Checked 2026-11-04.