How to Tell if Hail Damaged Your Roof (and What an Adjuster Looks For)

Please don't climb up. You can learn a lot from the ground, and these clues are the same ones an adjuster checks first:

• Gutters and downspouts. Look for fresh round dents, especially on the downspouts at eye level.
• Soft metals. Roof vents, flashing, the fins on your AC unit and the mailbox all dent before shingles do.
• Window screens and trim. Torn or dimpled screens and chipped paint on the side the storm came from.
• Fences and decks. Clean spots where hail knocked off the gray weathering are called splatter marks.
• Granules. A pile of shingle granules at the bottom of a downspout after a storm is worth a closer look.

If you see none of these, serious roof damage is less likely. If you see several, it's time for an inspection.

Asphalt shingles. A true hail hit knocks granules off and bruises the mat underneath. The spot is often dark, roughly round, and feels soft, like a bruise on an apple. Hits are scattered at random across the slope, not in lines or patterns.

Tile. Hail cracks or breaks tiles, often at corners and overlaps. A cracked tile can look fine from the street and still let water reach the underlayment.

Metal. Hail dents metal. The question is whether the dent is only cosmetic or has damaged seams, fasteners or coatings. Many policies treat cosmetic dents differently, so read that part of your policy.

A good inspector tells you this part too. Blisters from heat, scuffs from foot traffic, lifted shingles from poor nailing, and plain old age all get mistaken for hail. An adjuster will not pay for them, and an honest roofer won't claim they're hail.

Most adjusters mark a "test square" on each slope, usually a 10-by-10-foot area, and count the hail hits inside it. They also photograph the soft metals and note the storm date. Insurance pays for what can be proven, so the photos matter as much as the damage.

That's why I document every slope, the attic and the collateral damage before the adjuster arrives, and why I like to be there for the adjuster's inspection. Two sets of trained eyes miss less than one.

1. Write down the date and time of the storm.
2. Take ground-level photos of dents, screens and granules.
3. Check ceilings and the attic for new stains.
4. Get an inspection with photos before you file, so you know whether a claim makes sense.
5. Check your policy for the deadline to file. It varies by policy.
6. Don't sign anything on the porch. Read how to tell storm chasers apart first.

Sometimes the honest answer is "you have a few dents in the gutters and a roof with years left." I'll tell you that, with photos. If there is real damage, I'll show you exactly where, and walk you through how the claim process works.