Roofing Hail Damage | What You Need to Look For


You either see it or you don’t, there’s no in-between! Distinguishing hail damage from your roof can be tricky but there are different signs you can look out for.

How to know if your roof has hail damage? Dents to your gutters, roof vents, and flashing could indicate hail damage even though your roof shingles don’t have them. You can also spot damages from downspouts, garage doors, window screens, mailboxes, and other soft metals in your house so you don’t need to climb your roof to check. This may look like dings, strikes, or splatter marks.

Roofing hail damage is normally covered by insurance and it is highly suggested that you call your insurance company the moment you spot the signs. Hail damage can lessen your roof’s lifespan and so you’ll want it back in good condition as soon as possible. Additionally, you only have about a year to file a hail damage claim with your home insurance.

What is considered hail damage on a roof?

Hail damage will look different based on several factors namely the roofing material, wind speed and direction, size and density of the hailstones, and the neighboring structures and barriers.

Aluminum sidings and asphalt shingles could have dings while vinyl sidings and wood shake shingles could have cracks. Wind conditions will dictate the location and severity of the hail damage; the sizes of the hailstone will also dictate the gravity of the damage while neighboring structures can reduce it.

What to Look Out For

Shingle Cracks

The impact of hailstones can cause your shingles to crack, leaving room for exposure, tears, and bare spots.

Loss of Granules

You can spot granule loss from gutters and downspouts. But the main sign of loss of granules is on the shingle where the hail hit. When the ice hits the shingle it will sometimes leave a mark.

You need about 7 of these hit marks in a roofer’s square for insurance to count it as hail damage worthy of a roof replacement or repairs. When shingles lose their granules, their aging gets accelerated significantly.

Fractured and Exposed Fiberglass

Shattered shingles could expose your fiberglass roofing mat and fractured ones can lead to tears and cracks. This can increase the likelihood of the shingles blowing off.

Dents in Vents, Gutters, and Downspouts

Hail can cause dents and dings to your vents, gutters, and downspouts so spotting them can indicate roofing hail damage. However, sometimes dented vents don’t get replaced. So they could sometimes

Splits in shingles

This damage is common to wood shingles where splits will be brown or orange. It can cause leaks and molds if not taken care of as soon as possible.

Blown-off shingles

Blown-off shingles can be a sign of wind damage that may have occurred during a hail storm.

You can also spot hail damage from the ground. It’s not always safe to walk on the roof and it is highly suggested that you call a roofing professional for an inspection. If you want to be sure before you make the call, below are the signs you can watch out for that indicate roofing hail damage.

Damage on Sidings and Windowsills

Dents and dings could also be present in your sidings and windowsills. Which could also be included in your insurance claim for replacement.

Damage to Air Conditioners, Pool Pump Equipment, and Other Outdoor Items

Air conditioners, patios, decking, or any outside area of your house might have dents that indicate hail damage to your property. Check for other soft metals that could have been dented as well.

Chips on Painted Wood Surfaces

Chip paints on decks and other surfaces can also indicate hail damage. You can also look for newly exposed wood.

What Should I Do Next?

If you think you have hail damage to your property and roof. There are a few things you should do. First, you can get a second opinion. You can contact a roofing professional to have them come out and look at your roof. Most roofing companies will do a free hail damage inspection in the hopes of getting your business to replace it.

Beware of “storm chasers” these are roofing companies that follow storms from state to state. They aren’t as good because they often cut corners, sometimes they commit insurance fraud, and if you need them to come back and fix your roof odds are they are already in a different state by the time you get ahold of them. That is if you can get a hold of them.

I recommend contacting a trusted local roofing company. You can find such companies by using resources like Home Advisor. I like using them because you can get up to 3-to 4 quotes for free. This allows you to not only pick trusted local professionals but compare prices.

You will want to find a trusted local roofing company quickly, especially after a hail storm because the great companies will fill up quickly.

Last time we had a hail storm in my local area our company was booked out for the entire rest of the season and into the next year all within a few weeks. So you will want to find a trusted company quickly before they get booked out.

If you wait too long, then you will miss the window allocated by the insurance company for getting your roof replacement covered. So if you are reading this right now and you think you might have hail damage, check out Home Advisor.

If your professional roofing contractor agrees that you have hail damage, you can contact your insurance provider and have them send someone out to do the official roof inspection. I recommend having a trusted professional roofer come out before and possibly show up on the day that your insurance inspector comes because the roofing contractor can help be a liaison on your behalf.

Below you will find more useful information about hail damage.

Hail Size Damage Chart

Different sizes of hailstones can lead to different gravities of damage to your roof. Hailstones can vary in size from 0.5 in, a size of a peanut, up to 4.5 in, a size of a grapefruit. According to research by Haag Engineering Co., below are the hail damage threshold sizes for different roofing materials.

Roofing MaterialRoofing Age1 in1.25 in1.5 in1.75 in2.0 in
3-Tab Fiberglass Shingles1106090100100
3-Tab Organic Shingles115090100100100
Cedar Shingles1103080100100
Heavy Cedar Shakes0005090100
Fiber-Cement Tiles00205050100
Flat Concrete Tiles00205050100
S-Shaped Concrete Tiles0000080
Built-Up Gravel Roofing8000030
Number Of Products Damaged 1/95/97/97/99/9

These are ice stone impact test results showing the percent of the damage.

The test by Haag Engineering Co. only included hailstone sizes 1 in up to 2 in. but the National Weather Service records more sizes with size-to-object reference. Softball-sized hailstones can be strong enough to puncture a roof. Roofers will generally start monitoring at hailstones 1.25 inches in size.

Hail Size (in)Object Reference
0.25Pea Size
0.5Peanut
0.75Penny
0.88Nickel
1.00Quarter
1.25Half Dollar
1.50Ping pong ball
1.75Golf ball
2.00Hen egg
2.50Tennis ball
2.75Baseball
3.00Large apple
4.00Softball
4.50Grapefruit

What is the most hail-resistant roof?

As seen in the first table, Haag Engineering’s experiment shows that built-up gravel roofing is the strongest compared to the others listed, with regards to the impact of 2 inches of hailstones. At 8 years of roofing age, it has withstood only 30% damage from the hail.

Another roofing material that’s not included in the list, however, is rubber roofing. It’s considered one of the most hail-resistant due to its impact resistance, given its energy-absorbing and dispersing nature. It returns to its original shape and so you don’t have to worry about damages such as dents and tears. Rubber roofs are also good at handling extreme temperatures.

For hailstorms with smaller-sized hailstones, class 4 asphalt shingles can help but it is not normally guaranteed by manufacturers. Hailstones larger than 2 inches can cause dents and depressions.

Metal roofs, on the other hand, are durable, lightweight, and fire-resistant. When it comes to hailstorms, their type, and thickness matter. Steel, for example, resists better than copper and aluminum which are soft metals. You should note, though, that some insurance companies don’t cover dented roofs which is normally the damage of metal roofing.

The Extent of Hail Damage on Roof

Different sizes of hailstones bring damage in varying degrees. Below are some of the potential ones they can cause:

Hail Stone SizePotential Damage
1.00Little to no damage
1.25Minor damages to roofs and potential cracks in sidings
1.50Severe damage to roofs
1.75Exterior paint damage
2.50Can break car windows

Hail Damage Roof Inspection

There are professional roofing contractors who can provide free roof inspection. You’ll want to make a call if you suspect roofing hail damage. They will most likely do tests to determine the extent of the damage and whether you need individual slope replacements or a replacement of the entire roof. Some insurance companies use a formula to determine such.

Roof Inspections

Test squares are used to determine the extent of the damage. These are regular roofers square or sized 10 x 10 feet (100 square feet).

The number of hail strikes inside the square will then be counted to see if they meet the “functional damage” definition. The number of strikes to replace a roof slope vary as different insurance companies have different policies. However, from my experience seven to eight hit marks is a common standard.

Hail damage can either be functional or cosmetic. Determining which of these is your roofing hail damage is necessary for insurance purposes.

Functional damage pertains to those that reduce the roof’s lifespan and impairs its main purpose which is protecting you from snow and rainwater. The criteria for functional damage are different for each of the roofing materials.

Roofing hail damage that does not affect your roof’s performance or lifespan pertains to cosmetic hail damage. This could include minor granule loss and metal dents. There is no need for emergency roof restoration with this type of damage.

Functional damage is also termed payable damage or covered damage because it is what insurance companies will pay for. This is because the damage is considered “premature failure.”

Insurance companies typically don’t pay for cosmetic damage, but it can be considered or required if it can cause financial loss. For example, the roofing hail damage makes a hotel appear less appealing or diminishes a house’s resale value.

Can you repair roof hail damage?

Yes, roof hail damage can be repaired but some situations call for a replacement especially if the roof is of old age. Contacting a roofing expert will help you to identify if you are going to need a full roof replacement or repairs.

Roof Hail Damage Repair Cost

Repairing sections of the roof can generally cost $400 to $700 per square but if the entire roof needs to be replaced, it can be priced around $5,000 to $20,000. For repairs that include materials, underlayment, and labor, it can be priced at $4,000 to $5,000 for average-sized roofs.

Homeowner’s Insurance can cover your roof repair or replacement. This insurance will help protect your house’s value from elements beyond your control. It’s best to call as soon as possible because further damage due to negligence could lead to insurance companies not covering it.

Hail Damage Roof Insurance Claim

After calling a roofing contractor and your insurance company, there are some things to keep in mind going through the process. First, it’s better to hire a roofing contractor with experience working with insurance claims; second, ensure that you don’t have an improperly installed roof; and third, avoid insurance fraud by sharing your insurance estimate with your roofing contractor.

Hiring roofing contractors with experience in insurance claims is better as they can help you read your claim correctly and ensure that everything is correct. Next, improperly installed roofs would not be covered by your insurance company because a homeowner’s insurance only covers those that are damaged by storms.

Average Insurance Payout for Hail Damaged Roof

The average payout for homeowner claims is about $12,000 as per State Farm 2020. Your claim could be higher or lower depending on the insurer. Standard home insurance normally covers hail damage, but this will still depend on the state, the company, and the policies set up.

The claim must be filed within a year of hail damage. You should take photos of the damage and inform the insurance company first before starting repairs.

Storm Chasers

As I mentioned before, “Storm chasers” are out-of-town roofing contractors that jump from place to place affected by hailstorms. They solicit businesses and offer fast turnarounds at low prices. The problem is, that they provide poor quality work and are most likely scams. It’s always best to rely on roofing contractors in your area and check for online reviews.

Homeowners Insurance Fraud

Homeowners Insurance Fraud or Homeowners Fraud happens when you submit a claim on your homeowner’s or renters’ policy that’s much larger than the actual value of the roofing damage. This is normally done to receive the leftover as compensation.

With regards to roofing hail damage, insurance fraud commonly involves lying about the damage extent, date, and location; and asking the contractors to increase estimates to cover deductibles.

If found guilty, the sentence can be up to four years of jail time and $50,000 in fines, not to mention additional expenses for court costs and legal fees.

Referral Payments

Some roofing contractors have their roofing referral programs. Instead of committing insurance fraud, the benefit of receiving referral payments is that you can use the money earned for paying the deductibles instead.

Roofing referral programs involve you earning an amount by referring a neighbor or somebody else. This helps spread the word about the roofing contractor’s services.

What makes this valuable is that more people can be sure that the roofing contractors they hire can be trustworthy because the recommendation came from someone they know. They can help avoid storm chasers altogether. You, as a client of the roofing contractor, will get a referral incentive, while your neighbors can get a contractor that is commendable. And the good contractors will stay in business. It’s a win-win-win situation.

Related Questions

How do you repair hail damage on a roof? Repairs will depend on the damage to the roof. When you suspect roof hail damage, call your roofing contractor and the insurance company. Roofing contractors will do the roofing inspection to determine if only a slope needs to be replaced or if the entire roof needs a replacement.

When should I replace my roof after hail? It’s best to do it as soon as possible because all the good roofing companies in your local area are going to get booked out quickly. You also only have a year to file an insurance claim. Not prolonging the repairs will also help to avoid further damages such as leaks and ice dams.

Can roof shingles be repaired? Yes, cracked and torn shingles can be repaired by using a roofing sealant under the crack. After placing the sealant under, press the shingle down and apply another sealant at the top of the cracks. Spread it with a putty knife. You can sprinkle over it some washed-out granules from the gutter. If needed, you can also replace the individual shingles in a section of the roof.

Recent Posts