Look for circular bruises where granules are missing and the mat beneath feels soft. Random pattern, sharp edges, and hits on all slopes distinguish hail from wear.

Check soft metal first – gutters, vents, flashing and the garage door dent at hail sizes that may not fracture a shingle. Wear looks uniform and follows sun exposure; hail is scattered and directional. Do not walk the roof to check – most of it is visible from the ground with binoculars.

More on this

• Two or three layers of shingle already on the roof
• Plank decking with gaps between the boards
• Rust streaks below the chimney flashing
• Wood shingle under the asphalt
• No ridge vent and no soffit intake
• Valley metal rusted or missing
• Masonry chimney needs work
• Sagging visible along the ridge line

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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.