The Storm Sales Playbook: First 72 Hours
Storms are the highest-conversion window in roofing — and the most competitive. The teams that win run data, not luck.
Hour 0–12: verify before you roll
Radar maps show where a storm passed; they don't prove hail hit the ground. Ground-truth NWS Local Storm Reports do — size, time, and location, filed through forecast offices. Pull the verified reports for your market, plot the 1"+ events, and deploy only where the data says hail actually fell. Storm reports by state update hourly; paid Rooftops plans attach the same verified history to any individual address.
Hour 12–72: canvass the bullseye, script the specifics
Work outward from the largest verified hail size. On the doors, the specifics do the selling: "this area took 1.75" on the 14th — I can show you what that does to shingles in five minutes, and the photos are yours either way." That opener, plus the collateral tour (dented downspouts, gutter dings, AC fins), converts far better than "free inspection." Track every door — the "waiting to hear from insurance" houses are next month's signs if and only if they're in your follow-up list. Full scripts: door knocking scripts.
The documentation package that gets claims approved
Adjusters approve packages, not opinions. The winning file has three parts: (1) inspection photos — chalked test squares per slope, bruises with granule loss and mat exposure, collateral damage; (2) the verified weather record — the NWS report showing size, date, and distance from this address; (3) the measured scope — squares, pitch, facets, so the estimate matches reality. If the shingle is discontinued, add the production-status documentation — in matching-rule states that's often the difference between a slope repair and a full replacement (see the discontinued shingles list).
Rooftops AI assembles that package per address in minutes: verified storm history, satellite measurements, AI roof report, and instant shingle identification with matchability — the whole claim file from a phone.
After the wave: the 11-month tail
Most crews leave when the yard signs thin out — but the claim window runs about a year, and homeowners who said no in June say yes in October when a neighbor's roof gets approved. Keep the storm date on every card and every note, re-knock the follow-up list monthly, and watch approvals on each street (a new roof on a street re-opens every door around it). The tail is where tracked teams beat storm chasers.
FAQ
How soon after a storm should roofers start canvassing?
Within 24–72 hours. Homeowners are actively worried, damage is fresh and visible, and the out-of-town storm chasers haven't saturated the market yet. But show up with specifics — the verified hail size, date, and distance from their address — or you're just another knock.
How long do homeowners have to file a storm damage claim?
Commonly one year from the date of loss, but it varies by state and policy — some windows are shorter, some run two years. The date of loss anchors everything, which is why tying the damage to a specific verified storm event matters more than 'recent hail.'
What hail size is worth canvassing?
1" (quarter) and larger is the standard claim threshold for asphalt shingles. 1.5"+ is a priority deployment — widespread functional damage. 0.75" is worth working only on older roofs. Wind events of 60+ mph with verified reports are canvass-worthy too, especially with visible shingle loss.
Run the next storm on verified data
Hourly NWS storm reports, per-address storm history, satellite measurements, and a tracked territory for the whole team.