A Guide to Spotting Roof Damage After a Hail Storm

Was there a recent hail storm in your area? Hail can cause all sorts of damage to your home, including your siding and especially your roof. The extent of the damage is largely based on the size of the hail, but also the condition of your roof. Hail damage to your roof usually means you can file a claim with your homeowner’s insurance for repairs.

How do you spot hail storm roof damage? It can be difficult to tell whether your roof has hail damage unless you know what you’re looking for. Here’s what hail damage looks like on various types of roofs. 

Asphalt Shingles

Hail damage on asphalt shingles can be spotted by a few different signs:

  • Dark spots on shingles. 
  • Spots where the granules are rubbed off. 
  • Shiny looking spots on shingles. 
  • Soft spots on shingles like bruises on an apple. 
  • Missing or broken shingles. 

Damage from hail is often random or haphazard with no discernible pattern. 

Wood Shingles

Hail damage on wood shingles looks a bit different. You’ll notice:

  • Splits in shingles. 
  • Brown or orange coloring. 
  • Split shingles with sharp edges. 
  • No deterioration at the splits, indicating that the splits were caused by sudden impact rather than normal wear and tear. 
  • Dents or craters where hail hit the shingles near the splits in the wood. 

The condition of your wood roof shingles before the hail storm has a lot to do with how much damage your roof sustains. Wood shingles that are already deteriorating will be more likely to be damaged by hail. 

Metal Roof Panels

Hail damage on a metal roof looks very similar to hail damage on a vehicle or other metal surface. You’ll see: 

  • Dents in the metal, which is the most common type of hail damage.
  • Punctures in the metal, which is less common but can potentially occur from heavy hail. 

Dents in your metal roof are mostly cosmetic and will not affect the structure of your roof. Punctures in the metal, however, can cause leaks and need to be replaced as soon as possible. 

Slate, Concrete, or Clay Tiles

Hail damage to roofing tiles made of a variety of materials typically exhibits the following appearance:

  • Jagged holes in the tile in star or crescent shapes.
  • Corners of tiles broken off.
  • Tiles cracked or broken. 
  • Tiles missing. 

Roof tiles are usually pretty resistant to hail damage, but if the condition of the tiles is already deteriorating, damage is more likely to occur. 

Should You Climb Up on Your Roof to Assess the Damage?

No, it is never a good idea to walk on your roof, especially after a hail storm. The hail damage could have weakened your roof and walking on it may do more damage. It is also a safety risk to you should there be a severe weak spot that you could step or fall through. 

Do your best to assess your roof from the ground. Or if you feel safe enough to climb a ladder, go ahead and check out the roof from the ladder without walking on the actual roof. It is usually best to have your roof evaluated by a professional. And it costs you nothing to have a representative from your insurance company come out to inspect your roof. 

Will Homeowners Insurance Cover Roof Repair for Hail Damage?

In most cases homeowners insurance covers hail damage to your roof. You first need to contact your insurance company so they can send someone out to evaluate the damage and file a claim. Once you have filed your claim, you can find a roofing contractor to repair the damage to your roof. Most roofing companies have experience working with insurance companies and will know how to help you with your claim. 

Got Hail Damage? Weatherguard Roofing Can Help 

If your roof has hail damage, Weatherguard Roofing can repair or replace it. Hail damage due to a recent storm may be covered by your homeowners insurance. We can help you with your insurance claim to help you save as much money as possible on your roof repairs. 

Contact us at one of our 3 convenient Michigan locations or request a free estimate. We look forward to helping you restore your roof. 

Adam Hansen
 

Adam is a part time journalist, entrepreneur, investor and father.