You can spot most early signs of hail damage without leaving the ground. Start with the soft metals around your home, such as gutters, downspouts, and vents. Then check for shingle granules at your downspouts, marks on siding and screens, and dark spots on the shingles through binoculars. If two or more show up, schedule a professional inspection.
his checklist takes about 20 minutes. It expands on one step of our guide on what to do after a hail storm, and it keeps you off the roof the entire time.
Why should you stay off the roof?
Wet, hail-battered shingles are slick, and loose granules roll underfoot like ball bearings. Walking on a damaged roof can also crack shingles that survived the storm. Everything below can be done from your yard, a window, or your attic.
What do you need for a ground-level check?
- A phone camera with zoom, or a pair of binoculars
- A piece of sidewalk chalk
- Low-angle light. Early morning or late afternoon sun rakes across surfaces and makes dents easier to see.
- A yard that is safe to walk, with no downed lines or broken glass
The 6-point hail damage checklist
- Check the soft metals first. Gutters, downspouts, roof vents, flashing, the top of your AC unit, and your mailbox all dent more easily than shingles. Rub chalk sideways across a downspout or the AC cover. Dents stay dark while the surface around them turns white. Fresh dents in metal are the clearest sign that the hail was big enough to hurt your roof. If gutters are bent or pulled loose, they may need gutter repair on their own.
- Look at the ground under your downspouts. Asphalt shingles are coated in mineral granules that shield them from the sun. Hail knocks those granules loose, and rain washes them into the gutters. A pile of dark, sand-like grit at the downspout outlet after a storm means your shingles took hits. A light sprinkle is normal on a brand-new roof. A sudden pile after hail is not.
- Walk the siding, windows, and screens. Look for chipped paint, cracked or dented siding, torn window screens, and dinged window trim. Damage is usually heaviest on the side of the house that faced the wind, so start there.
- Check the deck, fence, and AC fins. Hail leaves spatter marks: clean spots where it knocked dirt, algae, or oxidation off wood, concrete, and painted surfaces. Flattened fins on the outdoor AC condenser are another tell. Spatter marks fade, so photograph them now.
- Scan the shingles with binoculars. Stand far enough back to see each slope, then look for:
- Dark, round spots where granules are missing
- Shiny black patches of exposed asphalt
- Missing, cracked, or lifted shingles
- Broken ridge caps along the peak, which take hits head-on
- Dents or cracks in roof vents, skylights, and chimney caps
Hail damage is random. Expect scattered hits with no pattern, often worse on one slope than the others.
- Check inside. Take a flashlight into the attic and look for damp insulation, water stains on the underside of the roof deck, or daylight coming through. Then check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Leaks can take weeks to show, so look again after the next rain.
Is it hail damage or normal wear?
Insurance covers storm damage, not aging. These differences help you tell the two apart before you call anyone.
| What you see | Points to hail | Points to normal wear |
|---|---|---|
| Pattern | Random, scattered marks, heavier on one side | Even across the roof, or in straight lines |
| Granule loss | Round bare spots that appeared after a storm | Gradual thinning over years |
| Cracks | Short cracks radiating from an impact point | Long, straight cracks from heat and age |
| Metal surfaces | Fresh, round dents with clean edges | Rust, stains, and old scrapes |
| Raised bumps | Not typical of hail | Blisters from heat, often with a popped center |
What can’t you see from the ground?
The most serious hail damage is often invisible from the yard. A hailstone can bruise a shingle, crushing the mat beneath the granules and leaving a soft spot that looks fine from 30 feet away. Colorado’s freeze-thaw cycles turn those bruises into cracks, and the leak may not appear for months.
Hail around 1 inch across, about the size of a quarter, is where asphalt shingle damage typically begins. Smaller hail driven by strong wind can still damage an older roof. A clean ground check does not clear your roof. It only means the obvious signs are missing.
When should you call for a professional inspection?
Call if any one of these is true:
- You found dents in gutters, downspouts, or vents
- Granules are piled at your downspouts
- The hail was quarter-sized or larger
- Neighbors are getting inspections or new roofs
- A new stain appeared on a ceiling or in the attic
- Your roof is older and has not been inspected in the past few years
A professional roof inspection separates cosmetic marks from functional damage, which is the distinction your insurer cares about. Premier offers a free roof inspection with photos and a written summary you can hand to your adjuster. Policies limit how long you have to file a hail claim, so do not wait for a leak.
Photograph everything as you go
Take one wide shot and one close-up of every sign you find, and note the date and time of the storm. If hailstones are still on the ground, photograph one next to a coin or tape measure. These photos become the first page of your claim file.
What should you do if you find damage?
Follow the full sequence in our guide on what to do after a hail storm, from documentation through the adjuster visit. If you are wondering what the fix will run, see our breakdown of hail damage roof repair cost in Colorado (link to Spoke 2). When you are ready for the work itself, our team handles hail damage repair across the Denver metro. Own a commercial or multifamily building? Flat roofs hide damage differently, so start with the signs of commercial roof damage.
Frequently asked questions
Can you see hail damage on a roof from the ground? Some of it. Dented metal, granule piles, spatter marks, and missing shingles are visible from the yard. Shingle bruising usually is not, which is why a ground check is a first step and not a final answer.
What does hail damage look like on asphalt shingles? It looks like dark, roughly round spots where the granules are gone, sometimes with a soft, bruised feel underneath. The marks are scattered randomly across the slope.
How soon after a storm should I check my roof? Check the same day, once it is safe. Spatter marks fade, and each new storm makes it harder to tie damage to a specific date. That matters most during hail season in Denver, when storms can arrive days apart.
Do I need to get on the roof to check for hail damage? No. Leave the roof to a trained inspector with safety equipment. Your job is to gather the ground-level evidence.
Hit by hail? Get a free, no-obligation roof inspection.
Premier Restoration & Construction serves the Denver Metro area and Summit County. Call 303-773-6437 or schedule your free inspection.