Home/Hail damage roof repair
Storm and hail · Roofing
Hail damage roof repair
Hail damage on asphalt shingle is a fractured mat under the granules, not a hole. That is why homeowners look at a damaged roof and see nothing wrong, and why the adjuster’s test square matters more than how the roof looks from the yard.
Hail damage rarely leaks the week after the storm. A bruised shingle loses its granule cover, the asphalt underneath weathers faster in the sun, and the leak shows up a season or two later. By then the storm date is hard to prove and the filing window may have closed. Repair decisions after hail are as much about timing and paperwork as about shingles.
1What hail actually does to a shingle
An asphalt shingle is a mat coated in asphalt with a layer of mineral granules on top. The granules protect the asphalt from sunlight. A hailstone hitting that surface does three things:
- Knocks granules off. You see a dark, roughly circular spot where the black asphalt shows through.
- Fractures the mat. The mat cracks under the impact point. Pressed with a thumb, a fresh hit feels soft, like a bruise on fruit.
- Breaks the seal or the edge. Larger stones can crack a shingle through or knock the edge loose.
The fracture is the part that matters. It is invisible from the ground and often hard to see even up close, which is why a roof that “looks fine” can still be damaged. The original bruise doesn’t leak. The weathering that follows does.
2How an adjuster decides what is damaged
Adjusters don’t judge the roof as a whole. They work slope by slope.
- Check the soft metalVents, gutters, flashing and downspouts show whether hail fell and roughly how big it was.
- Chalk a test squareUsually ten feet by ten on each slope that faced the storm, plus the others.
- Count the strikesEach functional hit inside the square is marked and counted.
- Approve or decline each slopeThe count per square is what decides it. That is why the north slope can be paid and the south declined on the same roof.
Ask your roofer to chalk and photograph test squares before the adjuster comes, so you have your own record of what was counted and where.
3Dented gutters are a clue, not a claim
Dented gutters, vent caps and other soft metal mean hail fell on your house. Soft metal dents at hail sizes that may not fracture a shingle mat. So dents are a reason to have the roof inspected, not proof that the roof is damaged. If the metal is dented but the shingles read clean, you may have a claim for the metal and nothing for the roof.
Gutters dented but the roof reads cleanHail damage signs on shingles
4Pin down the date of loss
Most policies run their filing window from the date of loss, not the date you noticed the damage. If you find bruising months after a storm, you need to establish when that storm actually happened. The NOAA storm events record lists hail reports by county and date, and it is free to search.
Hail damage often leaks a season or more after the storm. Waiting for water inside can push you past the filing window for the storm that caused it.
5Repairing it
Do it yourself
- Photograph dented gutters, vents and the garage door from the ground
- Look for granules collecting in gutters and at downspout outlets
- Look up the storm date in the NOAA record
- Check your deductible before anyone files anything
Hire a pro
- Inspecting the roof surface and chalking test squares
- Replacing bruised or cracked shingles
- Deciding between spot repair and replacing a slope
- Meeting the adjuster on the roof
Spot repair works when a handful of shingles are hit on a roof that is otherwise sound. It gets harder on older roofs, where new shingles may not match and old ones crack when lifted. If a slope has enough hits to be approved, replacing the slope is usually the cleaner fix. Ask the roofer to put the repair-or-replace reasoning in writing.
Don’t climb up to check for hail. Most of what matters is visible from the ground with binoculars, and a wet or aged roof is slippery.
6What drives the cost
| Factor | Why it moves the price |
|---|---|
| Slopes approved | Spot repair, one slope or the full roof are very different jobs |
| Shingle type and match | Discontinued colors can force more replacement than the damage alone |
| Existing layers | More layers mean more tear-off and disposal |
| Decking condition | Soft or gapped decking found at tear-off adds sheathing |
| Impact-resistant upgrade | Costs more up front; some carriers discount premiums for it |
Whether the claim pays for it is a separate question. If the damage is close to your deductible, filing may gain you nothing and still go on your record.
Roofing costInsurance claim after hail
Talk to a local roofer who will chalk test squares and photograph them before you call the insurer.
877-360-46577Questions
Why does my roof look fine if it has hail damage?
Hail fractures the mat under the granules. That reads as a soft bruise, not a hole, and you can’t see it from the ground.
Why was one slope approved and another declined?
Adjusters count strikes in a test square on each slope. Slopes facing the storm usually take more hits, so they cross the line and the others don’t.
Can I file months after the storm?
Possibly, but most policies run the filing window from the date of loss. Find the date in the NOAA storm events record and check your policy’s deadline.
Should I let the roofer who knocked on my door inspect it?
Vet them first. Ask for a local address, proof of insurance and a warranty that will outlast storm season. See storm chaser knocking after a hail event.
Written by Jaylan Jones. I Like To Exterior Services earns a referral fee when a call connects to a contractor. See our business-model disclosure.
877-360-4657Talk to a local pro
One free number for every trade below. Tap a button to call, or dial it from any phone.
We are a publisher, not a contractor, and may earn a referral fee when a call connects. How this site makes money.
