Hail is part of life in Central Texas. Spring storms that form over the Hill Country and push east across Leander, Cedar Park, Round Rock and Georgetown can drop stones the size of golf balls in under ten minutes. What has changed is everything that happens after the storm passes. The materials, insurance rules and paperwork look very different from the reroofs of twenty years ago. Knowing the difference helps you tell whether your replacement is being done the old way or the current one.
For homeowners in Cedar Park and the neighboring Williamson and Travis County communities, Windham Roofing has been replacing storm-battered roofs since 2001, long enough to have watched each of these shifts play out on real houses. The family-owned, IKO certified team handles residential roofs, flat and low-slope commercial systems, hail and storm damage replacements with impact-resistant shingles, gutters, siding and windows. It also guides owners through the insurance claim from the first inspection to the final paperwork. If a recent storm has you wondering what your roof took, a free inspection from a local crew that will still be around next spring is a smart first move.
The Shingle Itself
The old way: Replace like with like. A three-tab or basic architectural shingle came off, and the same grade went back on, usually whatever the supply house had stacked on the truck.
The new way: Treat the replacement as an upgrade window. Impact-resistant shingles rated Class 4 under the UL 2218 test, where steel balls up to two inches across are dropped onto the product, have become the common request across Central Texas. Many Texas insurers offer premium credits for Class 4 roofs. Color and reflectivity now matter too, given Cedar Park’s summer attic heat.
What Sits Under the Shingles
The old way: Fifteen-pound felt paper stapled over the deck, with soft or delaminated plywood often left in place because nobody wanted to slow the job down.
The new way: Synthetic underlayment that resists tearing in wind and does not wrinkle in Texas heat, plus self-adhered membrane in valleys and around penetrations. Crews now walk the deck after tear-off and replace damaged sheathing before anything new goes down. The 2021 International Residential Code, which Cedar Park has enforced since June 2022, also calls for a full tear-off when a roof already has two layers or when the existing covering is water-soaked or deteriorated.
A Quick Look at the Full Roof System
| Roof component | Typical approach in older Central Texas reroofs | Common current approach | Why it matters after hail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shingle | Three-tab or standard laminate | Class 4 impact-resistant, often SBS modified | Fewer cracked mats and bruises from the next storm |
| Underlayment | 15 lb felt | Synthetic plus self-adhered membrane at valleys | Holds up longer if shingles are damaged again |
| Roof edges | Drip edge skipped or reused | New drip edge at eaves and rakes | Protects deck edges and fascia from runoff |
| Ventilation | Box vents added wherever | Balanced intake and ridge exhaust | Lower attic temperatures and longer shingle life |
| Gutters | Patched or ignored | Replaced when dented or split | Dented gutters slow drainage and hold debris |
| Records | Invoice only | Photos, material receipts, warranty registration | Supports future claims and resale |
Edges, Valleys and Gutters
The old way: Focus on the field of the roof and leave everything at the perimeter alone. Old drip edge got bent back into place, and dented gutters were considered cosmetic.
The new way: Treat the edges as part of the system. Current code requires drip edge at eaves and rake edges on asphalt shingle roofs, and hail that dents a roof almost always dents the gutters, downspouts and window screens too. Those dents are often the clearest proof of hail size an adjuster will see, and new gutters keep water away from foundations on shifting clay soil.
Attic Heat and Ventilation
The old way: Add another box vent or a powered attic fan and call it ventilated.
The new way: Balance the air path. Soffit intake paired with ridge exhaust lets heat leave the attic steadily, and mixing exhaust types (a ridge vent alongside a powered fan) is now avoided because one can pull air from the other instead of from the soffits. An attic that bakes all summer ages shingles faster.
Paying the Deductible
The old way: Some contractors offered to “cover” the deductible by inflating the estimate or offering a rebate, and homeowners often accepted without knowing it was a problem.
The new way: Texas closed that door. Under the law behind the Texas House Bill 2102 analysis on property insurance deductibles, a contractor paid from claim proceeds cannot waive, absorb or rebate your deductible without the insurer’s consent, and contracts of $1,000 or more must carry a bold notice saying so. Insurers with replacement cost policies can also hold back the depreciation payment until you show proof the deductible was paid. Many Texas policies now use percentage hail deductibles, so read your declarations page before a storm.
Permits, Inspections and Accountability
The old way: Assume the city inspector would catch anything wrong.
The new way: Know that in many towns, nobody from the city will look at your roof at all. The City of Cedar Park’s “Do I Need a Permit” flyer lists non-structural roof covering among projects that do not require a building permit. That does not exempt the work from the adopted code. It simply moves the responsibility onto the installer and the homeowner. Structural work like replacing rafters or adding skylights still needs a permit, and contractors working in Cedar Park must now register with the city through its online permitting portal.
Because of that gap, documentation has taken the place of inspection. A careful crew photographs the deck after tear-off and registers the manufacturer warranty. Those records help with the next claim and with resale.
What the Shift Means for Your Next Roof
The biggest change is not one product. It is a mindset. A hail roof used to be a quick swap that restored what was there before the storm. Today it is a chance to install a roof built for the next storm, with a tougher shingle, better layers underneath, a balanced attic and a paper trail that protects your claim. Homeowners who ask how each layer is handled and keep their own records end up with a roof that holds up when the sky turns green again over the Hill Country.