How Your Roofer Knows Your Roof has Hail Damage From the Ground

How You Can Know if Your Roof Needs a Hail Damage Inspection

Is It a Scam? Can Your Roofer Really Know Your Roof Has Hail Damage from the Ground?

Is it true that a roofer can really tell if your roof has significant hail damage from the ground? There are certainly scam artists who say “your roof has damage” even though there may not be obvious damage to your home, and they haven’t actually been on your roof yet. However, even though it does sound like a scam, right after a storm, an honest roofer can use the following insider tricks to evaluate whether or not your roof has significant damage. If you see any of these issues, you’ll want to get a local, reliable roofer to inspect your roof right away.

1. Fallen leaves, twigs, and broken tree limbs: Your roofer can tell if there is hail damage on your roof just by surveying the outside of your home immediately after a storm. Large amounts of fresh fallen leaves often indicate pea-sized hail while small branches point to larger hailstones. Larger downed tree branches often suggest the presence of 1” – 2” hailstones, which are more likely to cause significant roof damage. Of course, your trees are not the only indicators of roof damage. If any cars in your neighborhood have dents or broken windshields following a hailstorm, it’s more than likely that your roof has damage too.
2. Exterior damage: Hail is extremely destructive. It not only damages your roof, but other areas of your home as well. Hail damages gutters, air conditioners, chips paint, breaks windows, tears screens, and damages stucco or siding. If any of these signs of damage are present, it’s a strong indication that your roof has hail damage too.
3. Loose granules: Missing shingles and cracked tiles are obvious indicators of roof damage following a hailstorm. However, some asphalt shingle damage may not be obvious. Loose shingle granules in the gutters and on the ground are strong indicators that an asphalt shingle roof has hail damage.  This may seem unimportant, but this means the asphalt of your shingles is exposed and will deteriorate rapidly through sun and weather exposure. As a result, your roof could begin to leak. To learn more about what a hail damaged roof looks like, read our blog post here.

Is a hail claim needed if there’s any of these signs? Most likely, but an inspection is the best way to be sure. Once your roofer is on your roof and surveying its condition he or she will identify and photograph the areas. Each homeowners insurance provider varies, but most require 7-10 hits per 10’ by 10’ square of roof area to have enough damage for a claim. Your roofer should provide you with photos so you can make the best decision moving forward. A claim is still a claim—don’t file if you don’t need to.

If a hailstorm has recently impacted your area, it’s important to act fast. Even if you are not sure if you have hail damage, we’re happy to give you some peace of mind. Give us a call at (719) 487-7663 or contact us online to schedule your free roof inspection today.