Door-knocking crews miss owners at work, can't reach the whole storm path, and run into neighborhoods with no-solicitation rules.
Roofing play · Storm damage
Storm damage leads for local roofers, in the mail before the storm chasers arrive.
After high wind or hail, homeowners hire the roofer they hear from first and trust most. Spur pulls the homes in the storm's path, writes a free-inspection postcard that names the storm date and your local address, and hands it to USPS within two business days, so your name is on the counter before the out-of-town crews start knocking.
Free forever plan · No card · 20 property searches a month
USPSFirst-Class
Karen Whitfield11624 Quail Creek RdOklahoma City, OK 73120Scan to book your free inspection
Karen W. booked a storm inspection · 18 min ago
AI-written for this owner · Mailed in 2 days
48 hrsfrom storm to postcards handed to USPS
Storm zipsfiltered to owner-occupied homes
Localyour address and registration on every card
The problem
After a storm, the first credible roofer wins the job.
Within days of a big storm, trucks with out-of-state plates are on every street. Homeowners struggle to tell who is local and who will be gone in a month.
"Storm damage? Call us!" cards pile up after every event. A card that names the storm date and the neighborhood stands out.
How it works
From list to mailbox in one workflow.
Five steps from a storm report to booked inspections.
app.usespur.com
See it in Spur
A storm response list in Spur
Sample homes in one Oklahoma City neighborhood after a wind event. Names are partly masked.
Zip 73120Storm Apr 2Single-familyOwner-occupiedBuilt before 2010
- Karen W.11624 Quail Creek Rd2,410 sq ft · built 1984Roof age unknownOwned 19 yrs
- James & Tia R.3017 Pelham Dr2,880 sq ft · built 1979Two-storyOwned 24 yrs
- Laura M.11809 Fox Run Dr1,960 sq ft · built 1991Owned 11 yrs
- Hassan B.2912 Rolling Stone Rd3,140 sq ft · built 1987Steep pitchOwned 15 yrs
- Doug P.11520 Bluff Creek Dr2,220 sq ft · built 2002Owned 22 yrs
AI draft for Karen W. · 11624 Quail Creek Rd
60 MPH WINDS HIT QUAIL CREEK ON APRIL 2.
Hi Karen, last Tuesday's storm brought straight-line winds through your neighborhood. High wind can lift and crease shingles and break their seal, which often isn't visible from the ground and can lead to leaks months later.
We're a local roofer based on N May Ave, and we'll inspect your roof for free this week. You'll get photos of anything we find and an honest answer about whether it's worth filing a claim. If your roof is fine, we'll tell you that too.
Scan the code to pick a time. We're scheduling inspections in Quail Creek through the end of the month.
Ben Holloway · Red Dirt Roofing · OK CIB #80001942 · (405) 555-0127
Sample data for illustration. Your results depend on your market and filters.
Playbook
How to run a storm damage roofing campaign the right way
Storm work is the largest source of residential roofing jobs in much of the country. The Insurance Information Institute reports that wind and hail damage is the most common cause of homeowners insurance claims. When a storm hits, demand for inspections spikes in a few neighborhoods for a few weeks, and homeowners choose a roofer quickly, usually the first one who seems credible and local.
Speed matters, but credibility matters more. Homeowners have learned to be wary of out-of-town crews who knock, sign contracts, and disappear. A postcard that names the storm date, mentions the neighborhood, and shows your local address and state registration or license number says "we live here and we'll be here when the warranty matters." Mail within a few days of the storm, not a few weeks.
Define the storm path carefully. The National Weather Service and NOAA's Storm Events Database publish wind and hail reports by location, and local news and your own crews fill in the details. Start with the hardest-hit zips, filter to owner-occupied single-family homes, and prioritize older roofs, which are more likely to have damage and less likely to have been replaced recently.
Offer an inspection, not a roof. A free inspection with photos is honest and useful. Never imply that a homeowner definitely has damage or that insurance will pay for a new roof. Several states have specific rules for storm-related roofing work. Texas, for example, prohibits contractors from waiving or paying a homeowner's insurance deductible, and some cities require permits or registration for door-to-door solicitation. Know your state's rules before you mail.
Plan two or three touches. Some homeowners file a claim right away. Others wait until they notice a leak. A second card two to three weeks after the first, and a third before the end of the claim window in your state, catch the slower decisions.
20×return on a year of Spur Team from one $12,000 roof replacement
One storm campaign can fill a season.
- Spur Team: $49/mo billed annually = $588/yr
- 800 storm-path homes × 2 cards = 1,600 postcards at $0.94 = $1,504
- One $12,000 replacement = 20× your subscription and 5× the software and postage combined
Example math. Storm severity, roof age, and claim outcomes vary. Run your own numbers →
One tool, not four
Spur vs. the usual storm response
What you needThe usual waySpur
Homes in the storm pathDriving neighborhoods and guessing✓ Built in
Owner names and mailing addressesList broker after the fact✓ Built in
Card about this stormGeneric "storm damage?" flyer✓ Built in
In the mail in two business daysPrint shop backlog after the storm✓ Built in
Knowing who wants an inspectionDoor-knocking until someone answers✓ Built in
From roofers using Spur
Results from the mailbox.
“After a hailstorm came through my service area, I used Spur to target homeowners in the three most affected zip codes and had 150 postcards in the mail within 36 hours. Got 41 scan alerts. Booked 28 assessments. Closed 19 full roof replacements. That was a $285,000 week.”
FAQ
Storm damage lead questions
How do roofers find storm damage leads?
Start with storm reports from the National Weather Service and NOAA's Storm Events Database, plus local news and your own crews. In Spur, search the affected zips or neighborhoods, filter to owner-occupied single-family homes, and mail a free inspection offer.
How soon after a storm should I mail?
Within a few days if you can. Spur hands postcards to USPS within two business days of approval, and most homeowners receive them three to five business days later.
Is direct mail better than door-knocking after a storm?
They work together. Mail reaches every home in the storm path, including owners who aren't home during the day and neighborhoods with no-solicitation rules, and a QR code tells you who's interested before anyone knocks.
What should a storm damage postcard say?
Name the storm date and the neighborhood, describe the kind of damage that's hard to see from the ground, offer a free inspection with photos, and show your local address and license or registration. Don't promise that insurance will pay.
Are there rules for storm roofing marketing?
Yes, and they vary by state and city. Some states prohibit contractors from waiving or paying deductibles, some regulate post-storm contracts, and many cities restrict door-to-door solicitation. Check your state's rules before you mail.
Keep exploring
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