How to Spot Hail Damage on Your Roof
Missouri storms can quietly wreck a roof in minutes. Here's how to read the warning signs from the ground, why so much hail damage stays invisible, and exactly what to do before your insurance window closes.
Why hail damage is so easy to miss
After a storm rolls through St. Louis or St. Charles County, most roofs look fine from the driveway. That's the trap. Hail rarely punches a hole you can see - instead it bruises the shingle, fractures the protective surface, and knocks loose the granules that shield the asphalt mat from the sun.
The damage is real, but it's small, scattered, and high up where you'd never notice it. Weeks or months later those bruised spots start to leak, the exposed mat dries out and cracks, and a problem that insurance would have paid to fix becomes wear-and-tear they'll deny. The signs below are what we look for on every storm inspection - and several of them you can check safely from the ground.
The quarter-size rule
Hail roughly an inch across - about the size of a quarter - is the threshold where asphalt shingles typically start taking real, claimable damage.
The clock is running
Most Missouri policies expect storm claims within a year. The sooner damage is documented, the stronger your case.
The signs of hail damage on a roof
No single clue proves hail damage on its own - inspectors read them together. The more of these you're seeing, the more likely your roof took a hit.
Granule loss
Hail scours away the sandy granules that protect the shingle. Look for piles of black, sand-like grit in your gutters, at the bottom of downspouts, or in the splash zone below - and for darker, shiny patches on the roof where the asphalt is now bare.
Bruising & soft spots
A hailstone can dent a shingle without breaking the surface, leaving a soft, tender spot that feels like a bruise on fruit when pressed. These dark, circular impact marks are the most telling sign - and the hardest to see from the ground.
Cracks & fractures
Bigger hail cracks shingles outright, sometimes in a star or spiderweb pattern radiating from the impact. Cracked or split shingles let water reach the mat and decking underneath, where it does the most expensive harm.
Dented gutters & downspouts
Soft aluminum gutters, downspouts, and fascia show hail dings clearly. If the metal around your roofline is pocked and dimpled, the shingles almost certainly took the same beating.
Dented vents, flashing & AC
Check the metal roof vents, pipe boots, turbines, and the chimney flashing for fresh dents. The fins on your outdoor air-conditioning unit are a great tell, too - if they're flattened, the hail was big enough to harm your roof.
Collateral & interior clues
Dings on your car hood, deck rails, mailbox, window screens, or siding confirm the storm packed a punch. Inside, fresh water stains on ceilings or in the attic mean damage has already started letting water in.
From the ground - safe
Walk the perimeter and look up. Check gutters for granules, scan metal for dents, inspect your AC, car, and deck, and look for shiny bare patches on the slopes you can see.
On the roof - leave it to a pro
Confirming bruising and soft spots means walking the roof, chalking impacts, and knowing what an adjuster looks for. Steep, wet shingles are dangerous - and untrained boots can do more harm.
How to check - without risking a fall
You can spot plenty of warning signs with both feet on the ground, and that's exactly where we want homeowners to stay. The ground-level checks on the left are safe, quick, and often enough to tell you a closer look is worth it.
What you can't do safely from the driveway is confirm the bruising and granule-stripped impacts that actually win a claim. That part takes a roof walk, the right eye, and proper safety gear. When you're ready, a professional roof inspection from Correll covers it all - documented with photos, at no cost, with no pressure to file anything.
Think a recent storm hit your roof?
If hail or high wind has rolled through your area in the last couple of years, hidden damage may still qualify for a claim - and we work directly with your insurance to make the case. Don't let the deadline pass.
What to do if you suspect hail damage
Move in the right order and you protect both your roof and your right to a fair claim.
Note the storm date
Write down when the hail or wind hit. Insurers tie claims to a specific date of loss, and local weather records can back it up later.
Document what you see
Photograph dented gutters, granules, dinged AC fins, car dents, and any interior stains. Don't climb the roof - keep yourself safe and let the ground evidence build the picture.
Get a free inspection
Have a qualified roofer document the roof itself before you call your insurer. A clear, photo-backed report is the strongest start to any claim.
File on time
If real damage is found, file promptly. We'll meet your adjuster on-site and walk the Missouri insurance claim process with you from start to finish.
Why one inch is the magic number
Not every hailstorm damages a roof. Pea- and marble-size hail usually just bounces off intact asphalt shingles. The trouble starts around one inch in diameter - the size of a quarter - which is when impacts begin bruising shingles, fracturing the surface, and stripping granules in numbers that matter.
That's why one of the first things we ask is how big the hail was and when it fell. If quarter-size or larger stones came through your neighborhood, the odds of real damage climb fast, even when the roof looks untouched from below. Larger hail - golf-ball or bigger - can crack shingles outright and total a roof in a single storm. If you're weighing what comes next, our guides on what to do after storm damage and the insurance claim process in Missouri walk you through it step by step.
Pea to marble
Under three-quarters of an inch. Rarely damages sound asphalt shingles - mostly cosmetic at worst.
Quarter size (~1")
The threshold. This is where bruising, cracks, and meaningful granule loss typically begin - and where claims hold up.
Golf ball & up
1.75" or larger. Often cracks shingles on impact and can total a roof in one storm.
Hail damage questions, answered
Find out if hail hit your roof
A free, no-obligation inspection tells you for certain - and gets it documented before your claim window closes.