The weather in springtime always amazes me...and it seems to change on a whim...one day sunny and bright, the next day cloudy and cool. And when those dark clouds move overhead, I always wonder if they're bringing hail, too.

I grew up in Oklahoma, home to the National Weather Service, and I've faced many springtime storms in my time, including tornadoes, flooding and hail. So turbulent weather this time of year is something I'm used to.

It wasn't 'til I bought my first home that I understood how these storms can ravage rooftops—and preceed an onslaught of home insurance claims.

What do you think is the most common homeowners claim filed after a brutal spring storm? You got it—hail damage. In fact, many people are just waiting for a hailstorm to come along so they can file that claim and get a new roof—a strategy that doesn't always pay off.

The Wichita Eagle, a local Kansas newspaper, came out with a story today about what to do following a hailstorm.

Here are the writer's recommendations, in a nutshell:

• Look for pieces and granules of roof shingles on the ground. This is a good indication of rooftop hail damage.
• Check your deck. If hail has marred or indented the wood on your deck, you probably have roof damage, too.
• Examine your gutters. If the undersides are dented, the damage is probably more extensive than meets the eye.
• Climb a ladder and take a closer look. If the attached shingles are dented or cracked, it's time to call your insurance agent.

If you think you might have hail damage, only a professional roofer or your insurance agent can tell for sure. But be forewarned: your insurer will most likely only reimburse you enough to restore your roof to its pre-storm condition.

On that note, here's to spring rain (no hail, thank you very much!) and May flowers.