How to Deal With Hail Damage to Your Windows and Doors

A home's exterior is designed in part to help protect its occupants from the outside elements, but severe weather can impact your home. Hailstorms can cause extensive damage to your home, and that damage can add up. In fact, hail causes hundreds of millions of dollars in damage to crops and property each year1 and is one of the most common causes of home damage and resulting insurance claims. According to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), there were 5,396 major hail storms in 2019, with the largest number of severe hail storms occurring in May (1,434 storms), June (1,139 storms) and August (799 storms).²

Your home can be impacted by hail in a number of different ways and hail damage is not always easy to spot. Homeowners commonly have their roof and siding inspected after a hailstorm, but many homeowners don’t realize that roofing and siding companies usually don’t inspect for hail damage to windows and doors.

A cracked pane or a dented frame can be an obvious sign of window damage, but not all damage is as easy to spot. Even minor damage can cause leaks in your window components that can lead to drafts, fogging and material deterioration, all of which can increase home energy costs. Professional inspectors can perform a full property inspection to help determine the presence or extent of damage.

If you suspect you might have hail damage, Pella can help. Contact us to schedule a free, in-home consultation. Our experts will evaluate damage to your windows or doors, walk you through your options and give you a repair or replacement quote on the spot.

What to do if you experience hail damage to your windows and doors:

First, be cautious around any broken glass. Survey the window area to make sure any broken glass is cleared to prevent injury. Ensure damaged windows and doors are secured.

Next, contact your insurance agent to report any suspected damage. Your insurance agent should be able to give you details about your homeowner's policy and any coverage you may have.

Then, call Pella to set up a free, in-home consultation. Even if you don’t have Pella windows and doors in your home, our professionals are here to help. We will inspect your windows and doors for damage and review all your options with you, whether you need repairs or you’re looking into replacement windows or doors. And if we do find hail damage to your windows or doors, we will provide the necessary documentation for filing an insurance claim and work with the adjuster who will inspect your home. Even if you’ve already had an adjuster out to look at your roof and siding, once you file a claim, it is likely they will return to inspect your windows and doors to verify the damage.

When your claim is approved and your payment arrives, you can look forward to getting your windows and doors fixed or replaced. Our team will coordinate with you to find the best time to get to work repairing or replacing your hail-damaged windows or doors.

Our large team of experienced window and door professionals understands that dealing with severe weather events can be stressful. Let us do the hard part, so you can get back to enjoying functioning windows and doors as soon as possible.

¹Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service.