Hail damage roof signs: bruised shingles, granule loss and dents on gutters and vents. Learn how to spot possible hail damage and when to get it checked.
Hail does not always leave an obvious mark. A roof can look intact from the street after a hailstorm while individual shingles have been bruised, cracked, or stripped of their protective granules. Hail damage is also uneven: one slope of a roof may be hit hard while another is barely touched, depending on the direction the hail was falling and the angle of the roof. And hail is often accompanied by wind and rain, so its signs can be mixed in with wind damage.
This guide explains what to look for, what hail does to different roofing materials, and what to do if you suspect damage. It is a homeowner guide, not a diagnosis — only a close, on-roof inspection by a roofing professional can confirm whether hail has damaged a roof and how serious that damage is. If you suspect hail damage, start with the checks below from the ground and from inside, and arrange a professional roof inspection if anything looks wrong.
Before you inspect the roof, it helps to know whether hail actually fell at your property. Hail can be very local — one street can be hit while another a short distance away is not. Look for signs in the yard and garden: dented leaves or stripped foliage, small dents in a car, damaged outdoor furniture, or hailstones still on the ground shortly after the storm. Neighbours may also have noticed hail. If you are unsure whether hail fell, a ground-level check of the roof is still worthwhile, because hail damage can be subtle.
A hailstone can bruise a shingle — pressing the surface down and cracking the fibreglass mat underneath without tearing the shingle open. From the ground, a bruise is hard to see. A professional inspector checks for it by feeling the shingle surface for soft or spongy spots. A bruise matters because the damaged area can crack or wear through later, and it may let water in over time even though it looks intact at first.
Shingles are coated with small mineral granules that protect them from sun and weather. Hail can knock granules off in small, scattered patches, leaving dark spots where the asphalt underneath shows through. Look from the ground with binoculars for shingles that look patchy or speckled, especially on one slope. Also check gutters and downspouts for a large amount of coarse granules after the storm. Some granule loss is normal over a roof's life, but a sudden increase after hail, in a scattered pattern, is a sign worth noting.
Larger hail can crack or split shingles, or tear the edge of a shingle. Look for shingles that are cracked, split, or have pieces missing in a way that does not look like wind damage. Wind tends to lift or remove whole shingles; hail tends to leave impact marks and cracks in place. If you see cracked shingles, note where they are and photograph them from the ground.
On some shingles, hail leaves a visible dent or a circular impact mark. The mark may be the size of the hailstone, or smaller. Look for round or oval marks, often in a random pattern across a slope, rather than in a line or along an edge.
Metal roofing generally handles hail better than asphalt shingles, but it is not immune. Hail can dent metal panels, especially thinner metal, and can damage the coating that protects the metal from corrosion. Look for dents on the roof surface, on ridge caps, and on metal trim. Small dents may be cosmetic, but larger dents, or dents that have broken the coating, deserve a professional look. Also check metal vents, flashing, and gutters for dents — these are often easier to see from the ground than dents on the roof itself, and they can be a useful clue that hail struck the roof. See our guide to metal roof pros and cons and our comparison of asphalt shingles vs. metal roofing for more on how the materials differ.
Hail often leaves its clearest marks on the softer metal parts of a roof, which are easier to see from the ground than the shingles themselves.
If several of these parts show dents in a similar pattern, it strengthens the case that hail struck the roof and that the shingles deserve a closer look.
Hail damage does not always cause an immediate leak, so the absence of a stain does not prove the roof is undamaged. Still, check inside after a hailstorm:
If you find any of these, note when you first noticed them and whether they change after rain. See our guide to what to do when your roof leaks after heavy rain for the first steps.
When you call, have ready: your town or ZIP code, whether the property is residential, the date of the hailstorm, what you noticed and where, and whether water is coming in. Call (334) 772-1151 to discuss your roofing needs and check service availability.
Normal wear tends to be even across the roof and to develop gradually with age. Hail damage tends to be scattered and random, often concentrated on one slope, and to appear suddenly after a storm.
No. Small hail often causes little or no damage, especially to a newer roof in good condition.
Sometimes, if hail cracks or tears a shingle. More often, hail damage weakens the shingle surface and the leak appears later, when the damaged area wears through.
A ground-level check after a hailstorm is a sensible habit, especially if the hail was large or you noticed dents on a car or outdoor furniture. Look for granule loss, impact marks, and dents on vents and gutters.
Small dents on a metal roof are often cosmetic, but larger dents, or dents that have broken the protective coating, can be a concern. Dents on vents, flashing, and gutters are also worth noting, as they suggest the roof was struck.
Photograph the roof from each side, close-ups of any impact marks or granule loss you can see from the ground, dents on vents, gutters, and flashing, and any dents on a car or outdoor furniture. Note the date of the storm and where each photo was taken.
Call (334) 772-1151 to discuss your roofing needs or check service availability in Phenix City and nearby Alabama communities.
We provide local roofing information and may connect homeowners with independent roofing service providers. Service availability depends on the provider and location.
Call to describe your roof and check service availability in your area. There is no form to fill in and no obligation from calling.
We provide local roofing information and may connect homeowners with independent roofing service providers. Service availability depends on the provider and location.