Posted June 6, 2025 | Anderson Roofing
After a big hailstorm rolls through, it’s easy to breathe a sigh of relief seeing that your car and windows survived unscathed. But what about your roof? From the ground, everything might look fine—but hail damage isn’t always apparent, especially from far away. That’s precisely what makes a hail storm so dangerous.
It may look like a harmless dent in a shingle today but become a costly leak after the next rainstorm. Even small divots or bruises can cause roofing materials to deteriorate faster, eventually letting water into your home. If the damage isn’t documented immediately, insurance might not cover it when you realize there is a problem later. That’s why it’s so important to know what to watch for—and when to get your roof inspected.
This one is easy to overlook unless you’re up close. Hail hitting an asphalt shingle can knock the granules loose, leaving behind soft spots or “bruises.” From the ground, your roof might still look fine. If you were to touch one of those bruised spots, it would feel like a sponge, soft and damaged below the surface.
The granules on a shingle aren’t just for looks—they protect your roof from the sun and weather. Once they’re gone, the shingles start to age much faster. That soft spot can crack, curl, or leak soon, especially with the constant expansion and contraction caused by our northwest Ohio weather swings.
One of the most overlooked signs of hail damage is in your gutters. After a storm, you might notice what looks like black sand collecting in the bottom of the downspouts or stuck along the edge of your gutters. That “sand” is granule loss from your shingles.
Heavy hail can knock a surprising amount of granules loose, even if the shingles don’t look cracked. Over time, that loss leads to thinning shingles that can’t properly shed water or reflect sunlight, which shortens the lifespan of your roof.
Metal fixtures like roof vents, flashing, and chimney caps can give you some of the earliest clues about hail damage. Unlike shingles, metal shows dents more clearly, so if hail has left little divots or dings in your vent covers or flashing, there’s a good chance your shingles took a beating, too.
The problem is that many homeowners never look at those details. Vents are often tucked behind ridges or pipes, and flashing can be hidden from view. If those spots are damaged and go unnoticed, it creates a path for water to sneak in.
After a hailstorm, your siding, gutters, and trim can act like a warning system. If you notice chipped paint, small cracks, or dimples in your siding, you know it hit your roof just as hard. While these marks might seem minor, they signal that more damage could be hiding higher up.
Gutters, especially aluminum ones, are also prone to denting. If they’re bent, loose, or misshapen after a storm, it’s time to call a trusted roofing contractor to schedule a roof inspection.
Hail can weaken the adhesive strip that holds shingles in place. If they don’t fall off completely, lifted shingles can let water in during the next storm. This damage isn’t easy to spot unless you’re on the roof and know what to look for.
Left alone, this can cause mold, rot, or slow leaks that damage insulation and drywall long before you realize what’s happening.
Not all hail damage shows up on the roof itself. Sometimes, the first place it becomes obvious is inside your home, specifically in the attic. After a storm, take a flashlight up there and check for any signs of moisture. Damp insulation, water stains on the rafters, or a mildew smell can signal that your roof is leaking somewhere.
It doesn’t take a major roof failure for hail damage to cause problems. All it takes is one weak spot where water can trickle in. Over time, that moisture builds up and starts to show as brown or yellow stains—often near vents, corners, or light fixtures.
By the time you see those spots, the leak has already made its way through multiple layers of roofing material and insulation. That’s why it’s better to check things out after a storm, even if everything seems fine.
Hail doesn’t always land squarely on top of a shingle. Sometimes it strikes the edges, especially on ridgelines and slopes. These hits are particularly damaging because they can loosen or split the shingles right where they overlap. That creates a direct path for water to run underneath and cause damage to the layers below.
Shingle edge damage isn’t easy to see from the ground, but it’s one of the most common places for small hail strikes to turn into big problems.
It might be tempting to assume everything’s fine if you don’t see shingles in the yard or big dents in your car. But hail damage to your roof often goes unnoticed until months later.
Here are a few signs it’s time to take action:
If any of these apply, it’s worth getting a professional inspection. The sooner damage is found, the easier and less expensive it is to fix, and the more likely your insurance will cover it.
The worst thing about hail damage is how quiet it can be. There’s often no loud crack, broken window, or obvious sign that something went wrong. But under the surface, damage is building.
Those weakened shingles let in a little more moisture every time it rains. Every gust of wind tugs at the loose edges. Before long, you’re not just patching a roof—you’re dealing with drywall repairs, insulation replacement, or even mold cleanup.
Don’t wait for water to start dripping from the ceiling. If you’ve experienced a severe hail storm, be proactive. Contact Anderson Roofing for a thorough roof inspection so you can repair any damage before the next storm rolls through.
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