Hurricane Roof Damage Insurance Claims.

Roof Scope Notes

Charleston sits directly on the Atlantic hurricane track. Older facility managers still talk about Hugo-era roof damage in general terms, and that institutional memory is part of why so many Lowcountry commercial policies carry hurricane-specific terms. Our job when a tropical system passes through is narrow: get on the roof, document what changed, and produce evidence the owner's adjuster can use.

Hurricane and tropical-system wind puts uneven pressure on parapets, coping, and roof edges, which is where uplift damage usually starts. We check edge metal and coping for separation or lifted fasteners, then move inward checking for membrane bruising, blistering, and displaced flashing at curbs, skylights, and rooftop equipment.

Many coastal South Carolina commercial policies carry a separate deductible - often a percentage of the building's insured value - that applies when damage is tied to a storm the National Hurricane Center has named, distinct from a standard wind/hail deductible. We do not interpret policy terms, but our field notes record whether a storm was a declared named system.

Getting on the roof quickly after a storm passes changes what the evidence shows. When it is safe, we document debris position, standing water, and displaced components before anything gets moved, then follow up with dry-in or emergency tarping where active water intrusion needs to stop.

We also check drains and scuppers for debris blockage, since a roof that weathered the wind fine can still take on water if drainage backed up during the event.

Many coastal South Carolina commercial policies carry a separate percentage-based deductible for named-storm or hurricane damage, distinct from the standard wind/hail deductible. We document whether an event was a declared named system so the owner and their agent can apply the correct deductible.

Wind uplift at edges and coping, membrane bruising from wind-driven debris, displaced flashing at parapets and penetrations, and water intrusion where wind-driven rain gets past compromised seams.