Storm-damaged window replacement, checked with the roof and siding
After hail or a hard wind in the north and northwest suburbs, most people get the roof looked at and forget the windows. Hail cracks vinyl frames, breaks the seal of a double-pane unit and dents the aluminum wrapped around the outside of the window, and the same storm usually hit the siding and flashing around it.
State Restoration Services checks the windows on the same free storm inspection as the roof, siding and gutters, photographs and measures every damaged opening, and replaces the windows that need it, with the trim and flashing done in the same pass. Our windows and doors page covers the glass options.
- Every side of the housewindows, roof, siding and gutters in one visit
- Each window on its own linephotos and measurements per opening
- Glass for this climatedouble-pane low-E, or triple-pane on exposed walls
What hail and wind do to each part of a window
A window is six parts, and a storm treats each one differently. Which part was hit tells you whether the window itself is the problem or only something around it.
AGlass
Cracks, star breaks, or a chip you can catch with a fingernail. One broken pane in a sealed double-pane unit means that whole glass unit is out.
BThe seal between the panes
A hard strike can break the edge seal. It shows weeks later as fog or condensation between the panes, which means the window no longer insulates.
CFrame, sash and sill
Vinyl cracks or chips on the sill and on the top of the lower sash, the surfaces facing up into the hail. A crack there lets water into the wall.
DScreen
Holes, torn mesh or a bent screen frame. Usually the first thing people notice, and the least serious on its own.
ETrim wrap and casing
The bent aluminum around the outside of the window shows hail dents as plainly as a gutter does. On painted wood casing, hail splits the paint and chips the edges.
FHead flashing
The flashing over the top of the window sheds water running down the wall. When wind loosens the siding above it, water gets behind the flashing.
Replace the window, or put right what is around it
The frame and the glass unit decide it, not how many dents the trim shows. These are the five outcomes we see after a storm, from the smallest job to the largest.
The window stays. A new screen goes on the estimate.
The window stays. The wrap is replaced, usually together with the siding repair on that wall.
The glass unit is the damaged part. Whether a sash or the whole window is replaced depends on the window's age and whether its parts are still made, and the estimate says which.
The window is replaced. A crack in a vinyl frame lets water reach the wall, so it is not patched.
Those windows are replaced with new flashing at the head and sill, in the same job as the siding on that side of the house.
A new window gets double-pane low-E glass with argon as the standard, and triple-pane on exposed, north-facing or street-facing walls. The difference is set out in double vs triple-pane windows for Chicago. ENERGY STAR-rated options are available.
A ten-minute check you can do today
You do not need a ladder for this. Start with the side of the house the storm came from.
- From inside, look at each window on that side for cracks, chips on the sill and fog between the panes.
- Run a finger along the top of the lower sash and along the sill. A chip you can feel there is a strike.
- From the lawn, look at the aluminum around the windows with the sun low. Dents show as small shadows.
- Check the screens. Holes and torn mesh on one side of the house usually line up with the wind direction of the storm.
- Photograph every damaged window before anything is cleaned up or thrown out, and keep the date of the storm. After the next heavy rain, look at the wall under each window inside for a stain. Our storm damage checklist covers the rest of the house.
How each window is written up for the estimate
On the inspection every damaged opening gets an entry of its own, so you, your adjuster or anyone reviewing the estimate can match a photo to a window and to a line of the price.
- Location
- Rear wall, second floor, second window from the left
- Size
- Width and height of the opening, measured on site
- Found
- Two cracks on the sill, dents along the wrap, screen torn
- Photos
- The whole wall, the window, then close-ups with a tape measure for scale
- Estimate
- Replace window, new head flashing, re-wrap the casing
Who does what on the claim
We document the damage and write a code-compliant estimate, then answer technical questions about the construction work in it. Illinois law does not let a roofing contractor negotiate a claim, so our partner, the licensed Illinois public adjuster State Adjusting Services, can represent you with the insurer.
Storm damage from a specific event is generally a sudden loss; seals and frames that failed with age are wear. Your deductible applies to the claim as a whole, roof and windows together, as our roof deductible guide explains. The storm and insurance page walks through the rest.
Windows done in the same job as siding and the roof
Window trim, flashing and siding all meet at each opening. When the siding on a wall comes off after a storm, that is the time to replace the damaged windows in it, because the trim and flashing are open anyway and are not done twice.
Entry doors, patio doors and garage doors can go in the same project. When hail also took the shingles, the hail damage roof replacement is scheduled with the windows and siding so the outside of the house is finished in one job.
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Storm-damaged window questions we get asked
Does hail damage windows or only the roof?
It damages windows too. Hail cracks vinyl frames and sills, breaks the seal of double-pane units, tears screens and dents the aluminum trim wrap. The side of the house facing the storm takes most of it, which is why we inspect the windows on the same visit as the roof.
Can I replace only the windows that were damaged?
Yes. The estimate lists each damaged window on its own line. When a new window has to match the style or color of windows that stay, we note that on the estimate, so it is settled before anything is ordered.
Is fog between the panes storm damage?
It can be. Fog that shows up after a hail strike on that window points to a seal broken by impact, while a seal that failed slowly over many years is wear. Photos taken soon after the storm help show which one you have.
Does insurance pay to replace hail-damaged windows?
That depends on your policy and on what caused the damage. Storm damage is generally a sudden loss and wear is excluded, and the deductible applies to the whole claim. We document the damage and write the estimate, and our partner public adjuster can represent you with the insurer.
Homeowners rate us 4.9 from 93 Google reviews. Send a photo through the contact page or call (866) 992-2982. The office is open Monday to Friday, 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, and Saturday and Sunday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Want this looked at?
We inspect for free, document what we find and prepare a code-compliant estimate you can hand to your insurer. Our partner, a licensed public adjuster, State Adjusting Services, can represent you on the claim.
Call (866) 992-2982. Free Inspection