You can look for clues from the ground: dented gutters, downspouts and roof vents, damaged window screens, and loose shingle granules collecting at the bottom of downspouts. None of these proves the shingles are damaged, but together they tell you whether a closer look from a roofer is worth scheduling. Do not climb onto the roof to check. A wet or hail-covered roof is slippery, and the damage that matters is hard to read without training.
Where should I look around my property for signs of hail damage?
Hail leaves marks on everything it hits, not just shingles. Soft metal and thin plastic show those marks first, and you can see most of them while standing on the lawn. Walk the whole property after a storm and compare what you find on each side of the house. Hail usually drives in at an angle, so one side often looks worse than the others.
| Where to look | What hail can leave | What it suggests |
|---|---|---|
| Gutters and downspouts | Round dents, dimples along the edge | Hail was large enough to mark soft metal |
| Roof vents and pipe caps | Dents or cracks in metal and plastic | Hail struck the roof surface itself |
| Window screens | Torn or bulged mesh | Hail was falling hard on that side |
| AC condenser and fence caps | Bent fins, dents, splintered wood | Same, plus direction of the storm |
| Downspout outlets | Dark granules piled on the ground or in the splash block | Shingle surface may have been knocked loose |
| Siding and garage door | Chips, dings, spatter marks | Hail reached wall height at that angle |
Is a pile of granules a sign of hail damage?
It can be a clue, but it is not proof. Shingles shed some granules as they age, and a new roof sheds a little in its first months. What a roofer looks for is where granules came off. A fresh, round spot where granules were knocked away and the dark asphalt shows through is the pattern associated with a hail hit. Granules in a downspout after a hailstorm are worth noting. Granules in a downspout on a roof that is simply old are not the same story.
What can you check from inside the house?
Your attic can tell you things your lawn cannot. From the attic hatch or the floor, with a flashlight, look for:
- Daylight showing through the deck anywhere it should not
- Dark stains or damp spots on the underside of the deck
- Wet or compressed insulation below a stained area
- Ceiling stains or bubbling paint on the rooms below
Only look from solid framing or the hatch opening, and do not step between joists. A ceiling stain after a storm can have other causes, such as a flashing problem, so treat it as a reason to call someone, not a diagnosis. Our page on what a roof leak looks like goes into the interior signs.
How do you tell new hail damage from old?
This is one of the most common arguments on older roofs. Our owner has posted about an older roof with some previous hail damage where the new damage was still easy to tell apart from it. Old hits tend to look weathered, with granule loss that has faded and dulled. Fresh hits look sharper. The contrast is something a trained eye reads up close, and it is another reason ground clues alone are not enough. If you have dated photos of your roof from before the storm, keep them.
When should you call a roofer?
Call when the ground signs line up. One dented downspout on a house in a quiet year is not much. A dented gutter, dented vents, torn screens and granules at the downspout after a storm with large hail is a pattern. It is also worth a call if you have an older roof and you cannot remember its last inspection. An inspection is where someone safely gets on the roof and looks at the shingles themselves. For what to expect, see what happens at a roof inspection.
To see which Oklahoma County storm days had reported hail of an inch or larger, our Oklahoma County hail history lists them from preliminary National Weather Service reports.
Frequently asked questions
Can I tell if hail damaged my roof from the ground? You can spot clues, not confirm damage. Dents on gutters and vents, torn screens and granules at the downspout all point toward hail. Confirming damage to the shingles takes a close look on the roof by someone trained and equipped to be up there.
Should I get on my roof to look? No. Roofs are slippery and falls are serious. Use binoculars from the yard, check the attic from the hatch and let a roofer do the rest.
Does no visible damage from the ground mean my roof is fine? Not necessarily. Damage to shingles is often hard to see from the ground, especially on steep or tall roofs. If a storm with large hail hit your area, an inspection is still reasonable.
How soon after a hailstorm should I look? Soon. Fresh marks are easier to read, and rain after the storm can hide or worsen some problems. Take dated photos of what you see.
Does hail damage always cause leaks? No. Hail can bruise shingles and weaken them without causing a leak that day. The concern is that the damage can shorten how long the roof lasts.
Is hail damage covered by my homeowner's policy? Policies differ. Read yours and ask your agent. An inspection describes your roof; it does not predict or replace your insurer's decision.
Talk to us about your roof
Total Roof Protection OKC can inspect your roof after a storm and explain what we see in plain language. Call 405-415-5841 to schedule an inspection.