After a hailstorm, most roofs look the same from the yard as they did before. Hail damage is usually small, spread out and hard to see from below. Here is what it looks like up close, and how to tell it from normal wear.
What size hail can hurt a roof?
Hail about 1 inch across, the size of a quarter, or bigger can damage a standard shingle. An older roof, already dried out by the sun, can be hurt by smaller hail. Wind matters too. Hail blown sideways hits harder, and hits one side of the house more than the others.
What hail marks look like on shingles
- Dark spots. Each hit knocks off the grit on top of the shingle and leaves a dark spot. The spots are scattered, with no pattern.
- Soft spots. A fresh hit can feel soft when pressed, like a bruise on fruit.
- Cracks and tears. Big hail can crack a shingle or split it near the edge.
- Grit in the gutters. A lot of new grit right after a storm is a clue.
Hail marks or normal wear?
- Blisters come from heat. They are small bubbles that pop and leave pits. They often show up in groups on the sunny side of the roof. Hail marks are scattered and come with dents on metal parts nearby.
- Old age shows up all over the roof at once: thin grit everywhere, curled edges, cracks along the tabs.
- Foot traffic and tools leave scuffs in a line, where people walked.
Telling these apart takes a close look and good photos. That is why it is worth having someone check after a storm, not just guessing from the yard.
What you can check from the ground
Do not climb on the roof. Shingles are slick, and a fall is not worth it. Instead, walk around the house and look at the softer metal:
- Dents on gutters and downspouts.
- Dents on the metal vents and caps on the roof.
- Dings on the fins of the AC unit outside.
- Marks on window screens, fence tops, the mailbox or the patio furniture.
- Grit piled at the end of the downspouts.
If the soft metal is dented, the roof took hits too. It does not mean the roof is ruined. It means it is worth a look.
Why it matters even with no leak
Hail damage rarely leaks the next day. A hit that knocks the grit off lets the sun get at the shingle. Over the next year or two, that spot dries out and cracks, and that is when the leak shows up. Finding it early, with dated photos, tells you where your roof stands.
What to do next
Legacy Roofing offers a free drone roof survey. Someone needs to be home for the flight. The drone photographs every part of the roof, and anything that needs a closer look is checked by hand. You see the pictures before we leave and get a written report with dated photos. If the roof is fine, the report says so. Questions about your policy go to your insurance agent.
