Ladder Up: August Edition

In comparison to June, July had several more severe hailstorms, many impacting mid-major cities. We once again only days away from hail falling every day for the entire month and close to the entire lower 48 was impacted. Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota saw the most hail by far compared to other states, totaling up to twenty-four days when hail fell. Next month is the “end” of hail season, and one would think that we will begin to see a drop off in days when it hails. The warm temperatures we are still experiencing will surely have an impact on whether we see hail later in the year or not, so we will stay tuned to see what happens!

Three new storms have formed since last month’s newsletter. Tropical Storm Dexter formed off the coast of North Carolina on August 4 and continued toward the east-northeast. While the storm tried to gain strength, there were hostile winds that pulled it apart, downgrading it to a post-tropical cyclone three days later.

Hurricane Erin formed on August 11, west of the Cabo Verde Islands. By midday on August 15, Erin had been upgraded to the first hurricane of 2025 and was expected to pass by the Leeward Islands the following day. Erin’s track was closely monitored as it was approaching the East Coast quickly and was rapidly strengthening. Luckily, Erin turned and missed the U.S., but beachgoers were cautioned against swimming due to life-threatening surf and rip currents. On August 22, Erin was downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone.

Tropical Storm Fernand formed on August 23; no impacts were felt by the U.S., and it stayed in open waters. By August 28, the National Hurricane Center had downgraded the system to a post-tropical cyclone.

While no tropical activity is currently expected for the next 7 days, our team is still closely monitoring the tropics for any new disturbances. If you want to ensure that your property is being monitored for any direct impacts, fill out our contact form to be added to our list.

Every year, Roofing Contractor publishes a list of the top 100 roofing contractors in the U.S. Cotton Roofing is honored to have made the list for the sixth consecutive year in a row! This year we came in at #60. Being included in the list effectively showcases our quality and competency to potential clients, and it’s an honor we do not take lightly.

This recognition is a direct result of the hard work and dedication of our entire team. Thank you for your daily contributions that make Cotton Roofing so successful.

Our team recently completed this large project at a college in Kentucky. Their campus was badly damaged after a devastating hailstorm passed through. Our team responded rapidly and quickly started getting to work, knowing that the start of the new school year was around the corner. We helped them navigate the restoration process with their insurance carrier and ensured that their roofs were replaced in like kind. Check out some of the during and after photos below!

After a major hail, windstorm or hurricane, many building owners make the same costly mistake: they wait.

It’s easy to assume that if water isn’t dripping inside or if damage isn’t visible from the ground, your roof is fine. But here’s the truth: most storm damage to commercial roofs is invisible from the street—and the longer it goes uninspected, the harder it is to get full coverage from your insurance.

Insurance policies often have strict deadlines for filing claims. If you wait too long, your opportunity to recover the cost of roof replacement may be gone — leaving you to pay out of pocket for damage that should have been covered.

At Cotton Roofing, we make it easy:

• Free, no-obligation roof inspections
• Full documentation of storm damage
• We handle the insurance process from start to finish

Don’t let time or your insurance carrier work against you. Ready to schedule your roof inspection? Call us at 877-511-2962.

Is there something you want us to discuss? Send us a message and it could be featured in next month’s newsletter