Home/Wind vs hail damage
Storm and hail · Compare
Wind damage vs hail damage
Wind lifts and creases shingles, usually along one exposure. Hail fractures the mat in circular bruises scattered across all slopes. The difference matters because many policies set a different deductible for each.
Plenty of storms bring both. The point isn’t to pick one label for the whole roof. It is to know which damage came from which, so the claim is filed under the right deductible and the repair covers everything that will fail.
1Side by side
| Wind | Hail | |
|---|---|---|
| Mark on the shingle | A straight crease line, torn or missing tabs | Round dark bruise, soft underneath |
| Where on the roof | One exposure, edges, rakes, ridge | All slopes, heaviest on the storm side |
| Pattern | Lines and clusters along the wind path | Random scatter |
| Clues around the house | Fallen limbs, lifted siding, debris on one side | Dented gutters, vents and garage door |
| Deductible | Often separate, and sometimes set differently: a flat dollar figure for one and a percentage of insured value for the other | |
2The creased shingle that looks fine
When wind lifts a shingle far enough, it breaks the sealant strip that holds it down and leaves a crease across the shingle. Once it lies back down, it can look attached. It isn’t. A creased shingle that has released its sealant strip will blow off in the next storm.
Ask the roofer and the adjuster to include creased shingles, not just missing ones. They are wind damage from this storm, even if they haven’t blown off yet.
3How to tell from the ground
- Walk around the houseNote which side has debris, fallen limbs or dented metal. That tells you where the wind or hail came from.
- Scan with binocularsLook for lines of lifted tabs along edges and ridges, and for scattered dark spots across the slopes.
- Check the soft metalDented gutters and vents point to hail. Bent or lifted flashing without dents points to wind.
- Read the declarations pageFind the wind and hail deductible, and whether it is a dollar amount or a percentage.
Storm-damaged roofs hide loose shingles and soft spots. Use binoculars from the ground.
4Repair and cost
Do it yourself
- Photograph damage and debris from the ground
- Note the storm date for the NOAA record
- Check your deductibles before filing
Hire a pro
- Re-sealing or replacing creased shingles
- Replacing hail-bruised shingles
- Documenting which damage came from which
Wind repairs are often local: a run of shingles along an edge or ridge. Hail repairs tend to be by slope. Matching older shingles, damaged flashing and the condition of the decking all move the price.
Storm damage repairHail damage roof repairRoofing cost
Talk to a local roofer who will document wind and hail damage separately.
877-360-46575Questions
Can one storm cause both?
Yes. Many storms bring wind and hail together. Each type of damage is documented on its own terms.
Why does the cause change what I’m owed?
Because many policies set separate deductibles for wind and hail, sometimes at different amounts.
Can straight-line wind be mistaken for hail?
It can, especially when wind-driven debris marks the shingles. See straight-line wind damage mistaken for hail.
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.
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