South Texas hurricane season runs June through November, with peak activity in August and September. For commercial facility managers in Cameron, Hidalgo, Willacy, and Starr counties, the question is not whether your facilities will eventually face significant storm weather — it's whether your roofing systems are prepared when it arrives.
American Contracting USA has been responding to South Texas storm damage since 1948 — more than 75 years of hurricane season experience. What we've learned is that the facilities that recover fastest and with the lowest out-of-pocket cost are invariably the ones whose managers prepared before the storm.
Step 1: Pre-Season Inspection (April-May)
A pre-season inspection is the single most important action a facility manager can take. Before hurricane season arrives, schedule a professional roof inspection on every commercial building in your portfolio. An experienced roofing contractor will identify: developing seam failures, blocked or restricted drains, deteriorated flashing at HVAC curbs and penetrations, any existing membrane blisters or punctures, and any areas of ponding water from the previous year.
Addressing these issues before a storm arrives is dramatically less expensive than dealing with them after a hurricane accelerates a minor problem into a major failure.
Step 2: Drain and Scupper Maintenance
The most preventable roofing failure during a South Texas rain event is overflow caused by blocked drains. A tropical storm can deliver 10-20 inches of rain in 24 hours — a flow rate that will overwhelm any drainage system that isn't clean and functioning. Before hurricane season, all roof drains, scuppers, and overflow drains must be cleaned and confirmed free of debris, bird nesting material, and accumulated sediment.
A blocked drain on a 50,000 SF flat roof during a tropical event can put 6-12 inches of standing water on the roof membrane — a load the structure and roof system were not designed to carry. We have seen roof collapses in South Texas caused entirely by blocked drains during rain events that were not even hurricane-force.
Step 3: Document Your Roof Condition Before the Storm
If your roof sustains storm damage, your insurance adjuster will want to distinguish pre-existing conditions from storm damage. If you don't have documentation of your roof's condition before the storm, the adjuster may attribute damage to pre-existing wear rather than the storm event — reducing your claim payout. Photograph your roof comprehensively in April or May of each year. Include close-ups of seams, flashings, penetrations, and drain areas.
Step 4: Immediately After a Storm Event
- Document all visible damage from ground level and with drone if available before any repairs
- Install temporary weatherproofing (tarps) only where active water infiltration is occurring
- Contact American Contracting USA before filing your insurance claim
- Allow a professional damage assessment before an adjuster visit — we can advocate for your claim
- Do not authorize permanent repairs until the insurance claim scope is agreed upon
- File your claim promptly — most policies have reporting deadlines
Emergency Contact
American Contracting USA responds to storm damage emergencies across the Rio Grande Valley. Call us at (956) 748-4030 or email info@americancontractingusa.com. We prioritize storm-damaged school facilities and healthcare buildings to minimize disruption to critical operations.
American Contracting USA, Inc. has been the Rio Grande Valley's most experienced commercial roofing contractor since 1948. With 75+ years of South Texas projects — school districts, hospitals, government buildings, and industrial facilities — our team writes from direct field and procurement experience.