How to Spot Hail Damage on Your Roof

Hail doesn’t always leave a dramatic calling card. Sometimes the storm is loud, the yard is a mess, and your roof looks fine from the driveway. Weeks later you notice a shingle corner lifting, a ceiling spot, or granules collecting near a downspout - and you’re left wondering if the hail did more than you thought.

If you’re trying to figure out how to spot hail damage on roof materials, the key is knowing what real hail impacts look like (and what’s just normal aging). You also need a safe, methodical way to check the parts of your exterior that tend to show damage first.

Start with safety and a realistic game plan

A roof inspection is not worth an emergency room visit. If the pitch is steep, the surface is slick, or you’re not comfortable on ladders, stay on the ground and focus on what you can see from below. Even with single-story homes, walking a roof without training can crack shingles, dislodge granules, or miss soft spots that give way.

A good approach is a “ground-to-gutter” check first. Many hail clues show up on metal surfaces, gutters, downspouts, vents, and siding long before you can confidently call roof damage.

What hail damage actually looks like (and why it matters)

Hail damage isn’t just “a dent.” Hail can bruise shingles, knock protective granules loose, crack the mat under the shingle, and shorten the roof’s service life. Some of that damage is visible right away. Some of it weakens the roof until heat, wind, and rain finish the job.

With asphalt shingles, the most common hail indicator is a bruise - a spot where the shingle surface feels soft because the impact broke the material underneath. With metal roofing, it’s often a visible dent pattern. With slate or cedar, it can be chipping, cracking, or splits that may be subtle from the ground.

It also depends on hail size, wind direction, roof age, and even how shaded parts of your roof are. A roof that’s already brittle can show more apparent damage from smaller hail.

Ground-level clues that often show up first

Before you zoom in on shingles, look for a consistent “storm signature” across your property. Hail usually doesn’t damage just one component.

Check your gutters and downspouts in bright daylight. Fresh hail hits often leave small dings, especially on the soft aluminum edges. If you see dents clustered on one side of the house, that can tell you which slope took the brunt of the storm.

Look at metal roof vents, exhaust caps, flashing edges, and chimney counterflashing. These pieces can show clean impact marks that are easier to spot than a shingle bruise. Window screens and soft metals like AC fins can also show a peppered pattern after a significant hail event.

Finally, take a walk around your downspout outlets and splash blocks. A noticeable pile of granules or shingle-colored grit after a storm is a warning sign. Granule loss can happen with age, but sudden accumulation right after hail is worth paying attention to.

How to spot hail damage on roof shingles up close

If you can safely view the roof from a ladder at the eave (without climbing onto the roof), you can often see enough to make an informed call.

Hail hits on asphalt shingles often appear as random, round-ish marks where granules are missing. The exposed area can look darker or shinier compared to the surrounding shingle because the underlying asphalt is showing. Don’t expect a perfect circle. Real impacts vary in shape.

The “feel test” is also telling, but it’s not something you can do well from the ground. A hail bruise may feel soft when pressed - like a slight sponge - and sometimes the granules around it are loosened. If you’re not trained, it’s easy to confuse a manufacturing defect, foot traffic scuff, or blistering with hail. That’s why pattern matters: hail damage is typically scattered, not neatly aligned.

Pay attention to shingle edges and corners. Hail combined with wind can create small fractures that later turn into missing tabs. If you see cracked corners or small pieces missing in a way that matches other hail evidence on gutters and vents, that strengthens the case.

Don’t confuse hail damage with these common look-alikes

Roofs get spots and scars for plenty of reasons. Three frequent look-alikes are:

Blistering, which creates tiny raised bubbles that can pop and leave small pock marks. These are often uniform and widespread, not random impact bruises.

Thermal splitting or aging, which tends to create long cracks or general brittleness across an area, especially on older shingles.

Mechanical damage from foot traffic, ladder placement, or debris, which usually appears in pathways or near access points rather than scattered across a slope.

If you’re seeing marks only on one small area with no corresponding dents on metal components nearby, it may be something other than hail.

What to check on different roofing materials

Indianapolis-area properties are a mix of traditional shingles and specialty roofs. Hail shows itself differently depending on what’s up there.

Metal roofing

Metal often shows dents clearly, but not every dent is a leak risk. The real concern is whether hail has compromised seams, fasteners, coatings, or flashing details. Look for concentrated denting along ridges, eaves, and valleys where wind-driven hail can strike at angles. Also check for chipped paint or exposed metal that could lead to corrosion over time.

Slate

Slate can crack, chip, or shear at the corners. Because individual tiles overlap, damage may not show up as a leak immediately. If you have slate, don’t walk it - it’s easy to break sound tiles. Visual checks from the ground and a professional inspection are the safest route.

Cedar shake

Cedar can split along the grain, especially if it’s older and drier. Hail may leave sharp impact marks or fractures that look like small divots. After hail, watch for new curling or lifted shakes that weren’t there before.

Don’t forget the “weak points” where leaks start

Even when shingles look okay, hail can stress the places where roofs are most vulnerable.

Check roof penetrations like plumbing vents and exhaust stacks. Rubber pipe boots can crack with age, and hail can accelerate that cracking or break the seal at the edge.

Inspect valleys from a safe vantage point. Valleys carry a lot of water, so minor damage there can become a problem quickly.

Look closely at flashing around chimneys, skylights, and wall transitions. Hail can dent metal and loosen fasteners. It can also dislodge sealant lines that were already nearing the end of their life.

Timing matters: what to do after the storm

Right after hail, take photos of the storm itself if you can do it safely. Then document what you see around the property: dents on downspouts, granules near discharge points, and any visible roof marks from the ladder line. Clear photos taken promptly tend to be more useful than memories two months later.

Over the next few rain events, pay attention inside the building. A new water stain, musty smell in an attic, or damp insulation may indicate damage that wasn’t obvious from outside. If you have attic access, look for wet decking, darkened wood, or light shining through where it shouldn’t.

When it’s time to bring in a professional

If you see dented soft metals, granule accumulation, or clear shingle bruising - or if neighbors are reporting confirmed hail damage - it’s smart to schedule an inspection. A trained roofer can distinguish hail from age-related wear and can check the details most homeowners can’t safely reach.

This is especially true if your roof is older, if you have a steep pitch, or if your property uses slate, cedar, or complex flashing layouts. Hail doesn’t always force an immediate replacement, but catching compromised areas early can prevent interior damage later.

If you’re in the Indianapolis metro area and want a straightforward assessment, 3 Kings Roofing and Gutters can walk you through what we’re seeing on the roof, what’s cosmetic versus functional, and what your real options are.

A few honest “it depends” scenarios

Not every hail event leads to a claim-worthy roof. Small hail can leave dents on gutters without significantly harming shingles, especially on newer, impact-rated products. On the other hand, moderate hail on an older roof can cause bruising that reduces lifespan even if it doesn’t leak today.

There’s also the question of slope direction. One roof plane may take the impact while the opposite side looks untouched. That’s normal with wind-driven hail and it’s one reason a quick glance from the driveway can be misleading.

Lastly, cosmetic damage is real, even when it’s not a leak. Dented metal, marked vents, and scuffed coatings can affect resale value and long-term durability. The right decision depends on your roof type, age, and what you want the property to look like in five or ten years.

A careful inspection isn’t about assuming the worst - it’s about removing the guesswork so you can protect the building with confidence and move on.