Hail damage roof checklist

Houston gets serious hail every 2-4 years on average. The 2017, 2021, and 2024 events all caused billions in roof damage across the metro. Most homeowners can't tell whether their roof was damaged without going up there, and going up there is a bad idea after a storm.

This guide is how to assess hail damage from the ground, what to document, and when to call a professional.

Right after the storm

1. Don't go on the roof. Wet shingles + adrenaline + freshly-damaged structure = falls.
2. Check for active leaks first. Walk the interior. Water stains, drywall sagging, fresh streaks on walls. If active, get tarps up (or call us).
3. Photograph any hailstones still on the ground. Coins or rulers in frame for scale. These photos are gold for the insurance claim.
4. Note the date and time of the storm. NWS confirmation, neighborhood Facebook posts, news coverage all help establish when it happened.
5. Save any visibly damaged materials. Broken shingles in the yard, fallen gutters, damaged screens. The adjuster may want to see them.

Ground-level inspection

You can do a surprisingly good hail damage assessment without leaving the ground.

Walk the perimeter of your house. Look for:

• Granules in the gutters or downspouts. Heavy granule loss is a smoking gun — hail knocked the protective top layer off the shingles. Look in the gutter base and at the downspout exits. Some loss is normal year-to-year; a sudden flood of granules post-storm is hail damage.
• Damaged metal accessories. Hail dents on AC units, gutters, downspouts, fence caps, mailboxes. If hail dented your AC, it dented your roof. The metal evidence is your friend.
• Vehicle damage. Photograph any hail dents on cars in your driveway. Same logic — corroborates the storm severity.
• Damaged plant material. Stripped leaves, broken stems on tender plants. Helps establish hailstone size and force.
• Roof shingles in the yard. Broken pieces of shingle, missing tabs visible from below.

Look up at the roof from a few angles. Look for:

• Visible bare spots. Areas where granules are gone and the dark mat is exposed. Common after major hail.
• Missing or lifted shingles. Wind often accompanies hail.
• Damaged ridge caps. Cap shingles at the peak are most exposed and often hit first.
• Bent or missing flashing. Especially around chimneys, valleys, and roof penetrations.
• Cracked or broken vents. Plastic vent covers shatter; metal ones bend.

Hail size matters

Insurance adjusters and roofers reference hail size in inches:

• 0.75-1.0": Pea to penny size. Usually cosmetic damage only. Most roofs survive without functional damage.
• 1.0-1.5": Quarter to ping-pong ball size. Often causes granule loss and shingle bruising. Some claims approved.
• 1.5-2.0": Golf ball size. Almost always causes functional damage on standard shingles. Most claims approved.
• 2.0-2.5": Tennis ball / lime size. Significant damage. Replacement claims approved.
• 2.5"+: Baseball size and up. Catastrophic. Total loss claims common.

Houston's 2017 storm produced widespread 1.5-2.0" hail with isolated 2.5"+ in northwest sections. 2021 and 2024 were similar.

Types of hail damage

Functional damage (insurance pays for replacement)

• Mat fracture. Hail cracks the fiberglass mat under the shingle. The shingle still looks intact but is structurally compromised. Often invisible from the ground — a roofer needs to verify.
• Granule displacement at the impact point. Hail knocks granules off in a circular pattern. Exposed mat oxidizes faster, accelerating shingle aging by years.
• Bruising. Soft impact spots where the shingle is dented but not broken. Eventually leads to crack propagation and leaks.
• Shingle break / loss. Tabs torn off, full shingles missing. Obvious functional damage.

Cosmetic damage (insurance often disputes)

• Surface marks without mat damage. Visible but doesn't compromise function.
• Light granule loss without bare spots. Some granule loss is normal aging.

The "cosmetic damage only" denial is the most common dispute in Texas hail claims. Many adjusters classify damage as cosmetic that's actually functional. A roofer's second opinion usually wins these disputes.

Photos to take for the claim

1. Wide shots of the home from each side. Establishes context.
2. Close-ups of any visible roof damage. Phone zoom from ground level is fine.
3. The gutters showing granule accumulation. One of the strongest pieces of evidence.
4. Any hailstones in your yard. Coins or rulers for scale.
5. Hail dents on AC units, vehicles, fences, mailboxes. Corroborating evidence.
6. Any interior water damage. Fresh stains, drywall sagging.
7. Date-stamp every photo. Most phones do this automatically.

What looks like hail damage but isn't

Insurance adjusters look for these signs that "damage" is something else:

• Foot traffic. Random circular bruising in concentrated areas (where someone walked) — not hail.
• Manufacturing defects. Defects appear in patterns (every nth shingle); hail is random.
• Old age / weathering. Granule loss without specific impact points; uniform across the roof.
• Animal damage. Squirrels, raccoons, birds — gnaw marks and torn material in localized spots.
• Tree branch impact. Linear scrape marks rather than circular impacts.

If your "hail damage" looks like one of these, the adjuster will deny. Better to know before you file.

Class 4 impact-rated shingles — worth it?

Most Texas insurers offer 15-28% premium discounts for Class 4 impact-rated shingles. The math:

Cost premium

Class 4 shingles cost roughly $0.50-$1.50 more per square foot than standard architectural shingles. On a 2,500 sq ft roof, that's about $1,500-$4,500 more on the install.

Insurance savings

15-28% discount on the wind/hail portion of your premium. For most Houston homeowners that's $200-$600/year. Payback period: 3-5 years.

Bonus benefit: claim survival

Class 4 shingles survive more storms before requiring replacement. Where standard shingles need a claim every 2-3 major hail events, Class 4 typically lasts through 3-5 events. Fewer claims, fewer deductibles, less hassle.

Recommendation: Class 4 is the smart upgrade for any Houston homeowner planning to stay in the home 10+ years. The math works.

When to call a pro

You should call a roofer for an inspection if any of these apply:

• You see granules in the gutters post-storm.
• Hail dented your AC unit, vehicles, or fence.
• You have an active leak.
• Your roof is older than 10 years and you went through a major storm.
• Neighbors are filing claims.
• You're planning to file a claim and want documentation.

Most reputable roofers (us included) do post-storm inspections free of charge. We drone-image the roof, document damage, and write a parallel scope to compare against the adjuster's findings. Free Houston post-storm inspection here.