Plain-language guides to roofs, siding, Calgary weather, insurance claims and Alberta rules. Search it, or pick a topic below.
In the first 48 hours after hail: stay off the roof, photograph soft metals, siding, screens and your car the same day, tell your insurer or broker and note the storm's date and time, cover anything broken and keep the receipts. Don't sign anything at the door before a proper inspection and your adjuster's visit.
An Alberta roof claim goes in a set order: tell your insurer in writing, stop further damage, document everything, get the roof inspected, agree the scope and estimate, file a sworn proof of loss, then settle and repair. Once a completed proof of loss is delivered, Alberta law says the loss is payable within 60 days unless your policy sets a shorter period.
Not every out-of-town crew after a Calgary hailstorm is a problem. The ones to avoid say one of four things: your claim is already approved, they'll cover your deductible, you have to sign before they inspect, or the price is only good today. Check their Alberta licence, WCB clearance and insurance before you sign anything.
Many Alberta home policies now carry a separate hail deductible, usually a flat amount: industry reports in 2026 put it at $2,500 to $5,000 with many Calgary insurers, and up to $10,000 for homes without hail-resistant construction. Percentage deductibles exist but are less common here, and your hail deductible can change at renewal, so check your declarations page.
Actual cash value (ACV) pays what your damaged roof was worth after age and wear; replacement cost value (RCV) pays what it costs to replace it. Many Alberta RCV policies pay the ACV amount first and release the held-back depreciation only after the work is done and invoiced, so the first cheque is often not the full settlement.
A sloped roof is a stack of layers, each with one job: the wood deck carries the load and holds the nails, underlayment and ice and water shield back up the shingles, flashing seals the joints, the shingles shed water, and vents keep air moving underneath. Most leaks start at the joints and edges, not in the open field of shingles.
To choose a roofer in Calgary, check three things yourself before anyone gets on your roof: an Alberta prepaid contracting licence if they'll take money up front, a WCB Alberta clearance letter, and a certificate of liability insurance. Then compare written, itemized quotes line by line, and walk away from anyone who offers to cover your deductible.
Repair the roof if the problem is in one place and the rest is healthy; replace it if the same failure shows up across several slopes, the shingles are brittle, the deck is damaged, or there are already two layers. If hail caused it, it's an insurance question first, because shingle warranties exclude hail.
An impact rating tells you how a new roofing product handled a lab test: under UL 2218, Class 4 means a sample survived a 2-inch steel ball dropped from 20 feet without cracking. It's a useful guide in a hail city like Calgary, but it isn't a hail guarantee, weathering lowers it, and any insurance discount is up to your insurer.
What's actually up there, how long it lasts, and when it's done.
Open the Roofing 101 shelf →Shingle types, impact ratings, and what survives Calgary hail.
Open the Materials shelf →Tear-off to magnet sweep, and the details that decide how long it lasts.
Open the Installation shelf →Leaks, ice dams, wind damage, and the checklist that prevents most of it.
Open the Repairs & Maintenance shelf →Materials, hail damage, and the wall system behind the cladding.
Open the Siding shelf →The roof edge: where water leaves the house, and where the attic breathes in.
Open the Eavestrough, Soffit & Fascia shelf →Hailstorm Alley, chinooks, snow load, and what to do after a storm.
Open the Weather & Hail shelf →How Alberta roof claims actually work, from first call to final cheque.
Open the Insurance Claims shelf →Licences, contracts, cancellation rights, permits, liens and safety rules.
Open the Legal & Permits shelf →Choosing a contractor, reading the quote, and what the work costs.
Open the Hiring & Costs shelf →How permanent lights work, and how to add them without hurting the roof.
Open the Roofline Lighting shelf →Laws, code requirements, test standards and storm figures link to the government, code body, manufacturer or insurer that published them.
Every guide shows the day its facts were last checked.
These guides explain how things usually work. Your policy, contract and house are what actually decide your situation.
Where a guide touches how Big Boy Roofing does the job, it says so.
When reading turns into doing, tell us about your roof and we'll get back to you.
