Is It Hail Damage? 3 Signs to Look For

Hail storms can do considerable damage to your home and property. You might see some signs of hail damage, but sometimes, the worst damage can be the hardest to spot. After a hail storm, you may quickly discover dings, dents, and scratches on your car and scuffing and cracking on the siding of your house, but you can’t always see the damage that hail has done to your roof. A damaged roof can be both dangerous and expensive. Because certain areas of your roof are only visible if you climb onto it for a closer inspection, hail damage can be missed for years, leading to leaks, flooding, and other costly issues. If your home recently weathered a significant hail storm, don’t ignore the potential damage to your roof. Keep an eye out for these three signs that will let you know that you need to file an insurance claim and contact a contractor as soon as possible.

Cracks on Shingles

Circular cracks on your roof’s shingles after a severe storm can be a telltale sign that your roof has been damaged by hail. Hail damage to shingles will have no clear pattern and the markings will be soft to the touch. You may also notice that some of the shingles are missing granules. This is another potential result of hail damage. Addition kinds of shingle damage to keep an eye out for after a severe hail storm includes:

• Loose or missing shingles
• Exposed fiberglass mat (caused by shingles breaking off)
• Denting on ridge caps
• Tears and cracks in the fiberglass mat

All of these signs can indicate hail damage to your roof that should not be ignored. Finding any of these things after a storm should lead you to contact a contractor and filing an insurance claim before the problem has a chance to develop into something more severe.

Dented or Blocked Gutter System

Gutters that are dented and dinged up after a severe hail storm can tell you that your roof has likely endured some damage, as well. Gutters are more visible and accessible than your roof. The aluminum that they are made from will show damage more clearly, which makes gutters a lot easier and safer to inspect. Any real damage to your gutters means that you should probably check your roof out — have a professional do it for you if you’re inexperienced. It can lead to a blocked-up gutter system, too. Granules, wood chips, debris, and even leftover pieces of hail can find their way into your gutters and create a blockage that will eventually lead to overflow. If this happens at your home, it’s a sign that your roof may be damaged.

Your Neighbor’s Roof is Damaged

Strong winds can do funny things in a hail storm. Depending on the wind’s direction, some homes can sustain serious damage from a storm, while other nearby homes sustain far less. That doesn’t mean, however, that just because your neighbor’s home took the brunt of the storm’s beating, you should assume your roof is totally fine. If you see that your neighbor’s roof was considerably damaged during a recent severe hail storm, it’s generally a good idea for you to thoroughly inspect yours for any kind of damage, too.