How do I know if my roof has hail damage?
Hail damage can be hard to see from the ground. On asphalt shingles, hail often leaves round marks where granules have been knocked loose, and it can weaken a shingle without making a hole or causing a leak right away. Dents in gutters, vents and window screens are common signs that your roof may have been hit.
Signs You Can Check From the Ground
Look at your gutters, downspouts, roof vents and window screens. Metal and screens often show dents or holes from hail more clearly than shingles do.
Dents on air conditioning units, garage doors and mailboxes can also be signs that hail hit your property.
What Hail Damage Looks Like on Shingles
Hail damage on a shingle is often a round mark where granules are missing, sometimes with a soft spot underneath. Hail marks are usually scattered across the roof, while normal wear tends to look more even.
Wind damage can happen in the same storm. It often shows as creased, lifted or missing shingles.
Insurance adjusters often mark a test square on each side of the roof and count the hail hits inside it.
Why You Should Not Wait
Insurance policies have deadlines for reporting storm damage, and they vary. Over time, hail damage can also become harder to tell apart from normal wear.
Scheduling an inspection does not mean you have to file a claim. It tells you whether there is damage so you can decide what to do next.
Related Questions
Does hail damage always cause a leak?
No. A shingle damaged by hail can keep water out at first and wear out faster over time.
How big does hail have to be to damage a roof?
Hail around one inch in diameter can damage asphalt shingles. Wind speed, roof age and the type of shingle also play a part.
My neighbor got a new roof and I did not. Why?
Hail can fall unevenly, so one home or one side of a home can be damaged while another is not.
Are impact-resistant shingles worth it?
Impact-resistant shingles hold up better in hail, and many insurance companies offer a discount for them. They can still be damaged by very large hail.
