Hail and High Winds Hit Oviedo and Winter Springs on May 12 — What Homeowners Need to Do Now
The storm that rolled through Oviedo and the surrounding area yesterday, May 12, was not a typical Florida afternoon thunderstorm. A severe cell moved from Oviedo toward Chuluota with blinding rain, marble-sized hail, and wind gusts with the potential to hit 40 to 50 MPH. Lake Mary recorded hail reports as well, putting the entire Seminole County corridor in play.
If you live in Oviedo, Winter Springs, Chuluota, Lake Mary, or anywhere nearby, your roof was in the path of that storm. Whether you saw damage or not, the next 48 to 72 hours are the most important window for protecting your home and your insurance claim.
This post explains what that storm likely did to roofs in the area, what the signs of hail and wind damage actually look like, and exactly what you should do before that window closes.
What Marble-Sized Hail Does to a Florida Roof
Marble-sized hail sits right at the threshold where real structural damage to asphalt shingles becomes likely. Smaller hail events displace surface granules without necessarily compromising the mat underneath. At marble size and above, the impact force is enough to bruise the fiberglass mat that gives the shingle its structural integrity.
That bruising does not show up as a visible hole or a missing shingle. It shows up as a soft spot. When you press on a bruised shingle, it gives slightly in a way an undamaged shingle does not. The surface looks intact. The internal damage has already shortened the lifespan of that shingle by years.
The granule loss that accompanies these impacts is more visible but still not obvious from the ground. Impact marks appear as darker circular spots on the shingle surface where the protective granule layer has been displaced, exposing the asphalt substrate below. Those exposed areas oxidize quickly under the Florida sun and begin cracking within months. That cracking is how storm damage from a May event turns into an active leak by hurricane season.
Wind gusts at 40 to 50 MPH introduce a separate failure mode. At those speeds, the sealant strip that bonds shingle tabs to the course below them begins to fail. You will not see a missing shingle the next morning. What you have is a shingle that is still in place but no longer sealed. In a September storm, or even a strong afternoon thunderstorm in July, that shingle lifts and comes off entirely.
Homes in Oviedo and Winter Springs tend to have roofs in the 15 to 25 year age range in many neighborhoods, particularly in areas built during the late 1990s and early 2000s Seminole County growth period. Older shingles are more vulnerable to both hail impact and wind seal failure because the sealant strip loses flexibility with age.
Why You Need to Act in the Next Few Days
Florida’s insurance environment makes timing critical after a storm event. The state has gone through significant changes in property insurance law over the past few years, and homeowners who do not act quickly after a documented weather event frequently find their claims challenged or denied on the basis of pre-existing wear.
When a professional inspection report is created within days of the storm, it can be tied directly to the May 12 weather event with photos, measurement documentation, and a written assessment. That report is what your insurance adjuster reviews. A report created months later faces a much harder argument.
The National Weather Service and services like Interactive Hail Maps document storm events with radar data and spotter reports. The May 12 Oviedo event is already on record. Your inspection report, created now, aligns with that documented event. That alignment is what holds up when an adjuster challenges the timing.
Citizens Property Insurance and private carriers serving Seminole County have specific requirements for storm damage claims. An independent inspection from a licensed roofing contractor that documents the damage from a specific dated event is the strongest foundation for a successful claim.
What to Look For Around Your Home Right Now
You do not need to get on the roof to start gathering evidence. A ground-level walkthrough of your property in the next day or two can give you useful documentation before the inspector arrives.
Walk the perimeter of your home and look at your gutters and downspouts. Dented gutters are among the clearest indicators that hail large enough to cause roof damage came through your property. The aluminum is soft enough to show impact marks even from marble-sized hail, and those dents are visible from the ground. If your gutters are dented, assume your roof has damage until an inspection says otherwise.
Check the downspouts and the area around them for granule accumulation. After a significant hail event, granule loss from asphalt shingles shows up as a dark gritty deposit at the bottom of downspouts and around gutter outlets. A small amount of granule loss is normal over time. A large accumulation after a storm is not.
Look at any soft metal surfaces around your roofline: aluminum vents, HVAC units, pipe boots, or window screens. Impact marks on these surfaces confirm hail contact with your property and become part of your inspection documentation.
Take photos and video of everything you notice, with your phone’s date stamp visible. This documentation takes ten minutes and adds real weight to your insurance claim file.
How JAEA Inspects Roofs After a Storm
A post-storm inspection is not the same as a general roof check. What the situation requires right now is a damage-specific inspection that documents what the May 12 storm did to your roof in enough detail to support an insurance claim.
When a JA Edwards of America project manager arrives for a post-storm inspection in Oviedo or Winter Springs, the process works like this:
Ground assessment first. The inspector walks the full perimeter before going up, documenting gutters, downspouts, vents, skylights, and any visible roofline section. Soft metal impact marks, displaced ridge caps, and granule deposits around downspouts are all recorded.
Full roof surface inspection. On the roof, each plane is checked systematically. For asphalt shingles, this includes testing for granule displacement across representative sections and checking for impact bruising by hand. The inspector uses a standard test square to count and document impact points per area, producing an objective measurement for the insurance report.
Penetrations and flashing. Chimneys, pipe boots, HVAC curbs, and flashing around any roof penetration are inspected individually. Wind events at 40 to 50 MPH regularly displace flashing even when the shingles themselves appear intact. A displaced flashing creates a direct water entry point that has nothing to do with the shingles.
Photo documentation throughout. Every area of concern is photographed with GPS-tagged images. The photo record is what your adjuster reviews, and thorough photo documentation from within days of the storm is significantly more compelling than general claims about damage.
Written inspection report. You receive a written report that documents the specific findings and ties them to the May 12 storm event. This is the document your insurance company uses to process your claim.
JAEA performs free roof inspections for homeowners throughout Seminole County including Oviedo, Winter Springs, Chuluota, Lake Mary, Casselberry, and surrounding areas. No charge, no obligation.
The Insurance Claim Process: What to Know Before You Call Your Carrier
The sequence matters. Most homeowners call their insurance company first. The better approach is to get an independent inspection report in hand before the insurance company’s adjuster arrives.
When you open a claim without independent documentation, the insurance company sends their own adjuster to assess the damage. That adjuster’s job is to evaluate the claim fairly, but their report naturally reflects the company’s interests. Having an independent inspection report from JAEA already in hand when you open the claim means the adjuster is reviewing your documentation, not starting from scratch with their own.
A few things worth knowing about Florida property insurance claims after storm events:
Your policy likely has two separate deductibles: a standard deductible and a wind or hurricane deductible. The applicable deductible depends on how your carrier classifies the storm. Understand which deductible applies before you make decisions about whether to file. The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation has consumer resources that explain windstorm deductibles clearly.
Florida law gives you rights in the claims process. If your claim is denied or you believe the settlement does not reflect the actual damage, you have options. The Florida Department of Financial Services handles insurance consumer complaints and can assist with disputed claims.
Do not sign any contract under pressure in the days immediately after a storm. Storm chasers from out of state operate aggressively in Florida after significant weather events. Any contractor who shows up at your door and presses you to sign an assignment of benefits form or a contract on the spot should be avoided.
A Local Business Serving the Local Community
JA Edwards of America is a proud member of the Oviedo-Winter Springs Regional Chamber of Commerce. We are not a national chain or an out-of-state storm chaser that shows up after severe weather events and disappears. We operate here, we are members of the same business community you are part of, and we have a direct interest in how homeowners in Oviedo and Winter Springs come through this storm.
As a Chamber member, we are currently offering free roof inspections to local homeowners through the Chamber’s Hot Deals program. You can see the offer directly on the Chamber website here: Free Roof Inspection for Our Local Community.
There is no catch. No commitment. If your roof is fine, we will tell you it is fine.
Neighborhoods and Communities Covered
The May 12 storm track covered a wide section of Seminole County. Homeowners throughout the following areas should get their roofs inspected:
Oviedo was at the center of the storm cell. If you are in Oviedo, this is not a precautionary inspection. A documented severe storm moved directly through your area with hail and 40 to 50 MPH wind gusts confirmed.
Chuluota was specifically in the path of the storm as it moved east from Oviedo. Homeowners in Chuluota face the same exposure as Oviedo itself.
Winter Springs sits immediately adjacent to the storm track. Seminole County’s grid of communities is close enough together that a storm cell covering Oviedo will produce conditions in Winter Springs that warrant an inspection.
Lake Mary had marble-sized hail reports confirmed from the May 12 event, making it a priority alongside Oviedo and Winter Springs.
Tuscawilla deserves specific mention. This master-planned community sits directly between Winter Springs and Oviedo, with more than 4,500 homes spread across sub-neighborhoods including Glen Eagle, Chelsea Woods, Eagles Point, Carrington Woods, Chestnut Ridge, and Davenport Glen. Many of these homes were built in the late 1980s and 1990s, which puts a large number of roofs in the age range where hail impact and wind seal failure are most consequential. If you are in any part of the Tuscawilla development, a post-storm inspection is worth scheduling.
Casselberry, Longwood, and Sanford are in the same Seminole County service area and may have experienced the outer bands of the same storm system.
JA Edwards of America operates out of Orlando and covers all of Seminole County. Our project managers can typically schedule post-storm inspections within 24 to 48 hours. Call (407) 677-7663 or request your free inspection at jaeofamerica.com.
Signs That Make the Inspection Urgent
Most roof damage from the May 12 storm will not reveal itself for weeks or months. But a few signs mean water is already inside, and those require immediate action:
Water stains on interior ceilings or walls that appeared after the storm mean the building envelope has already been breached. Every day without a repair is another day that water is inside your roof deck, potentially reaching your attic insulation, ceiling joists, or interior drywall.
Granules accumulating around downspouts at a volume you have not seen before means shingle surface degradation has already occurred across a meaningful section of your roof.
Visible lifted or curled shingles along any roofline edge indicate that wind seal failure has already occurred. That shingle is loose. The next storm does not need to be severe to take it off entirely.
Any of these conditions means calling today, not next week.
About JA Edwards of America
JA Edwards of America has been serving Orlando and Seminole County homeowners since 2004. We hold a GAF Master Elite + President’s Club 3-Star certification, one of fewer than three roofing contractors in the entire state of Florida to hold this designation. We are licensed under CGC1534283 and CCC1334804, carry full insurance, and maintain a BBB A+ rating.
After significant weather events, we mobilize quickly. Our Orlando team covers all of Seminole County and can schedule inspections within 24 to 48 hours of your call. We handle the inspection documentation, support the insurance claim process, and complete the work once coverage is confirmed.
If the May 12 storm affected your home in Oviedo, Winter Springs, or anywhere in Seminole County, call (407) 677-7663 or visit jaeofamerica.com to schedule your free inspection.
Frequently Asked Questions
My roof looks fine from the ground after the May 12 Oviedo storm. Should I still get it inspected?
Yes. Hail damage at marble size typically does not produce visible holes or missing shingles. What it produces is granule displacement and impact bruising that can only be seen up close on the roof surface. A roof that looks intact from the street after a confirmed hail event still needs an inspection. The damage is there. It is just not visible from 20 feet away.
How quickly do I need to file an insurance claim after the May 12 storm?
As quickly as possible. Florida insurance law and standard documentation requirements favor homeowners who act promptly after a storm event. The further you get from the date of the storm, the harder it becomes to tie documented damage directly to that event. Get an inspection done first, then open the claim with the inspection report in hand.
Does homeowners insurance in Florida cover hail and wind damage?
Most standard homeowners policies cover both hail and wind damage. Coverage depends on your specific policy, your deductible structure, and the age and condition of your roof at the time of the event. A professional inspection report from a licensed contractor that documents the May 12 storm damage is the foundation of a strong claim.
What is the difference between a standard deductible and a wind deductible in Florida?
Florida homeowners policies typically have two separate deductibles. The standard deductible applies to most claims. A separate wind or hurricane deductible, usually calculated as a percentage of your insured dwelling value, applies to windstorm damage. Which deductible applies to the May 12 event depends on how your carrier classifies the storm. Your policy documents will specify this, and the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation has consumer guidance on windstorm deductibles.
Is the inspection from JA Edwards of America really free?
Yes. JAEA performs free post-storm roof inspections for homeowners throughout Seminole County including Oviedo, Winter Springs, Lake Mary, Chuluota, and Casselberry. No fee, no commitment, no pressure. Call (407) 677-7663 to schedule.
What areas in Seminole County does JA Edwards of America serve?
JAEA serves all of Seminole County from its Orlando operations. This includes Oviedo, Winter Springs, Chuluota, Lake Mary, Casselberry, Longwood, Sanford, and surrounding communities. The team can typically schedule post-storm inspections within 24 to 48 hours after a call.
Can JAEA help me navigate the insurance claim if my carrier disputes the damage?
Yes. Our project managers are experienced with Florida property insurance claims and can assist with documentation, help you understand the adjuster’s findings, and work with your carrier through the claims process. If a claim is disputed, having thorough inspection documentation created within days of the storm is the strongest position to negotiate from.
JA Edwards of America — Licensed Florida Roofing Contractor. CGC1534283 | CCC1334804. GAF Master Elite + President’s Club 3-Star. Serving Oviedo, Winter Springs, Seminole County, and all of Central Florida. Call (407) 677-7663.