HAAG Certified · Insurance-grade documentation

Storm damage? Get the documentation insurance adjusters take seriously.

Q: What should I do immediately after a storm damages my roof?

Five things, in order: (1) Document everything from the ground with date-stamped photos: debris, fallen branches, water stains, dented gutters, missing shingles. (2) Do NOT climb the roof yourself. (3) If water is actively entering, call the office serving your area for current urgent-work availability. (4) Schedule a HAAG-Certified inspection BEFORE filing your insurance claim; the documentation establishes the baseline. (5) Then call your insurance company with date of storm and factual description only.

Q: Does DreamHome charge for storm-damage inspections?

No. HAAG-Certified storm inspections are free. We don't sign contingency contracts either; you're not locked into using DreamHome even if your insurance claim is approved. We earn the work by being right about the damage and right about the scope.

Q: How quickly can you respond after a storm?

Urgent protective work and inspection timing depend on weather, access, crew availability, and safety. Call the office serving your area for current scheduling.

Q: What should I NOT say to my insurance adjuster?

Four things to avoid: (1) Don't speculate on cause; say 'damage occurred during the storm on [date].' Cause attribution is the carrier's job. (2) Don't accept the first scope of work; first-pass scopes are routinely incomplete. (3) Don't sign anything labeled 'final scope'; that language closes your claim. (4) Don't lead with 'this is what my roofer thinks it'll cost'; carriers price from their own software, not contractor estimates.

Q: Does my insurance cover the full cost of replacement?

Depends on your policy. Most ACV (actual cash value) policies pay only the depreciated value of the damaged roof; you pay the rest. Most RCV (replacement cost value) policies pay full replacement minus your deductible. Code upgrades (ice-and-water shield, drip edge, ridge vent) may or may not be covered depending on your policy's law-and-ordinance coverage. Check your declarations page before storm season.

Q: What is the 25% rule for storm claims?

Field rule used by adjusters and roofers: if less than 25% of the roof is damaged AND the rest is under approximately 10 years old, the carrier typically approves repair only. If damage exceeds 25%, OR the rest is over 15 years old with widespread granule loss, replacement is typically approved. The middle zone (15 to 25% damaged, 10 to 15 years old) often comes down to documentation quality, which is where HAAG methodology matters most.

Q: What if my insurance company denies the claim?

Two paths: (1) Re-inspection with supplemental HAAG documentation if we believe damage was missed or under-documented. (2) Hire a licensed public adjuster (different from a contractor) to negotiate with the carrier on your behalf. We do not act as public adjusters; that's a separate licensed profession. But we can refer you to ones we've worked with successfully.

Free HAAG-Certified inspection. Drone + ground photo documentation. Insurance-grade scope of loss. Call your local office for current urgent protective-work availability. We walk the inspection with your adjuster. and we don’t sign contingency contracts.

Licensed in Virginia and Maryland

HAAG Certified Inspector

No contingency contracts

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Free storm damage inspection

HAAG-Certified. Insurance-grade documentation. Yours to keep.

Included: drone + ground photos · HAAG-formatted scope of loss · adjuster walk-through · no contingency contract

“Transparency builds trust. Pressure destroys it.”, Lenny Scarola, Founder

Why HAAG matters

The credential that moves your claim faster.

When the adjuster recognizes the methodology, the conversation changes.

HAAG Certified Inspector. Residential

Kevin Butler

General Manager | 21 yrs at DreamHome

HAAG Education is the industry-standard methodology for residential roof inspection. When an adjuster reads a HAAG-formatted scope of loss, they recognize the format. claims move faster, disputes resolve more cleanly. Kevin holds the credential. Every DreamHome storm claim runs through HAAG methodology. that’s the standard Kevin built.

Step-by-step

Six steps from storm to restoration.

Follow this order. The first two are urgent (today). The rest play out over weeks.

Document from ground

Date-stamped photos of debris, fallen branches, water stains, dented gutters, missing shingles. DO NOT climb the roof.

Call for tarping if leaking

If water is actively entering the home, call the office serving your area for current protective-work availability.

HAAG inspection FIRST

Schedule free HAAG-Certified inspection BEFORE calling insurance. Documentation establishes the baseline.

File the claim

Call insurance. Date of storm + factual description only. Don’t speculate on cause or dollar figure.

Walk inspection with us

Your HAAG inspector is on the ladder with the adjuster. Methodology matches. Disputes resolve in real time.

Execute restoration

Scope approved → OC Platinum-spec install. Manufacturer warranty registered. Transferable to a new owner.

Types of storm damage

What HAAG documents at every storm inspection.

Each type has a specific damage signature the methodology captures.

Hail damage

Bruising | granule loss | mat fracture

Hail bruising is often invisible from the ground but visible on close inspection. Granules dislodged in circular patterns. Mat fractures under the bruise. HAAG documents pellet size + impact density.

Wind damage

Lift | crease | missing shingles

Wind lifts shingles, creases them at the seal strip, or removes them entirely. Creased shingles look intact but the seal is broken. they’ll fail in the next rain. HAAG documents the crease line.

Falling tree / impact

Punctures | structural decking damage

Branches puncture shingles and sometimes the decking below. Documented with photos of the impact site + interior attic photos showing penetration extent. Often qualifies for full replacement.

Ice dam / freeze damage

Ice-and-water shield failure | interior water

Ice dams force water back up under shingles past the ice-and-water shield. Interior water staining at exterior walls. Documented with thermal imaging + interior photos.

Lightning strike

Concentrated burn | structural compromise

Less common but high-impact. Concentrated burn marks, sometimes structural decking compromise. Often requires permitting coordination with the local jurisdiction.

Hurricane / tropical storm

Mixed wind + water | pattern damage

Pattern damage across the entire roof. uplift on windward side, debris on leeward side, sometimes flashing torn loose. HAAG documents the storm-wide signature, not just isolated points.

Adjuster conversation

Four things to never say to your adjuster.

The wrong language at the inspection can cost you thousands. The most common mistakes we see.

Don’t speculate on cause

Say “damage occurred during the storm on [date].” Cause attribution is the carrier’s job. Speculating opens the door to denial based on “wear and tear” or “manufacturing defect.”

Don’t accept the first scope

First-pass scopes are routinely incomplete. Decking, underlayment, code-required upgrades, drip edge, and starter strip are frequently missed. Have your roofer review before signing.

Don’t sign “final scope”

That language closes your claim. Supplements are nearly impossible afterward. If presented with “final scope” paperwork, ask to mark it “preliminary scope, subject to supplement.”

Don’t lead with roofer estimate

“This is what my roofer thinks it’ll cost” backfires. Carriers price from their own software (Xactimate, Symbility). not contractor estimates. Lead with documentation, not pricing.

When carriers approve replacement vs repair

The 25% Rule for storm claims.

Field rule used by adjusters + roofers

How carriers decide repair vs replacement.

If less than 25% of the roof is damaged AND the rest is under ~10 years old, the carrier typically approves repair only.

If damage exceeds 25%, OR the rest is over 15 years old with widespread granule loss, the carrier typically approves full replacement.

The middle zone (15–25% damaged, 10–15 year-old roof) often comes down to documentation quality. which is where HAAG methodology matters most. A well-documented HAAG scope can turn a marginal repair-only call into an approved replacement.

FAQ

Storm damage questions.

What should I do immediately after a storm damages my roof?

Five things, in order: (1) Document everything from the ground with date-stamped photos. (2) DO NOT climb the roof yourself. (3) If water is actively entering, call the office serving your area for current urgent-work availability. (4) Schedule a HAAG-Certified inspection BEFORE filing your insurance claim. (5) Then call insurance with date of storm and factual description only.

Why HAAG-Certified inspection specifically?

HAAG Education is the industry-standard methodology for residential roof inspection. The HAAG Certified Inspector. Residential credential is what insurance adjusters take seriously. When the adjuster reads a HAAG-formatted scope of loss, they recognize the methodology. claims move faster. Our General Manager Kevin Butler holds this credential and audits every storm claim DreamHome opens.

Does DreamHome charge for storm-damage inspections?

No. HAAG-Certified storm inspections are free. We don’t sign contingency contracts either. you’re not locked into using DreamHome even if your insurance claim is approved. We earn the work by being right about the damage.

How quickly can you respond after a storm?

Scheduled emergency tarping is available throughout our service area during business hours. HAAG-Certified inspections are typically scheduled within 24–48 hours for active storm damage. We document while we tarp.

What should I NOT say to my insurance adjuster?

Four things to avoid: (1) Don’t speculate on cause. say “damage occurred during the storm on [date].” (2) Don’t accept the first scope. first-pass scopes are routinely incomplete. (3) Don’t sign anything labeled “final scope”. that closes your claim. (4) Don’t lead with “this is what my roofer thinks it’ll cost”. carriers price from their own software.

Does my insurance cover the full cost of replacement?

Depends on your policy. Most ACV (actual cash value) policies pay only the depreciated value; you pay the rest. Most RCV (replacement cost value) policies pay full replacement minus your deductible. Code upgrades (ice-and-water shield, drip edge) may or may not be covered depending on your policy’s law-and-ordinance coverage.

What is the 25% rule for storm claims?

Field rule: if less than 25% of the roof is damaged AND the rest is under ~10 years old, the carrier typically approves repair only. If damage exceeds 25%, OR the rest is over 15 years old with widespread granule loss, replacement is typically approved. The middle zone often comes down to documentation quality. which is where HAAG methodology matters most.

What if my insurance company denies the claim?

Two paths: (1) Re-inspection with supplemental HAAG documentation if we believe damage was missed. (2) Hire a licensed public adjuster (different from a contractor) to negotiate with the carrier on your behalf. We do not act as public adjusters. that’s a separate licensed profession. but we can refer you to ones we’ve worked with successfully.

Storm response resources

Everything you need after a storm.

Insurance navigation, repair vs replace, HAAG inspector who runs the program, and what to do right now.

Three honest paths after storm damage

Insurance and decision frameworks

Materials, cost, and credentials

Storm hit your home? Get HAAG documentation today.

Free HAAG-Certified inspection, insurance-grade scope of loss, no contingency contract. Call your local office for current urgent protective-work availability. We’re on your side. not the contractor’s, not the carrier’s.

ScheduleFree HAAG inspection Springfield VA(703) 650-9067 Hanover MD(410) 324-7277