How to Spot Hurricane Roof Damage in New Orleans

After every named storm that crosses the Louisiana coast, our phones light up with the same question: ‘How do I know if my roof is actually damaged?’ Sometimes it’s obvious — half the shingles in the front yard, the neighbor’s pine tree through the gable. Most of the time it isn’t. Here is the field-tested checklist we use on every New Orleans hurricane damage inspection.

From the ground

• Asphalt shingle pieces in the yard, driveway, or street.
• Granule piles at the bottom of downspouts — looks like coarse black sand.
• Lifted, curled, or creased shingles visible against the sky line.
• Missing ridge caps along the peak of the roof.
• Bent or detached gutters and fascia.

From the attic

An attic inspection finds damage the ground-level view will miss. Bring a flashlight and look for pinpricks of daylight at the deck, fresh water staining around vents and chimneys, and damp insulation. If you can hear or feel air movement at the ridge, the ridge cap likely failed.

What to do next

Call your insurance carrier first to open a claim. Then call a licensed local roofer — like BH Roofing NOLA at 504-834-5353 — to inspect, document with drone photography, and meet your adjuster on the roof. That single step is the difference between an approved claim and a denial for ‘insufficient damage.’ Read our full guide to storm-damage roof repair in New Orleans for more on the claims process.