Signs Your Roof Has Hidden Hail Damage (Don't Skip This Inspection)

Most Illinois hail damage isn't visible from the driveway. Here's what a real inspection is actually looking for.

Granule Loss

Hail knocks the protective granules off the asphalt shingle mat. Check downspout outlets after a storm — a pile of granules in the splash pan is a strong indicator.

Bruising

The shingle mat is soft and dented where the hail hit — you can often feel it before you can see it. That bruise is a failure point that will fully fail in 2–5 years.

Cracked Ridge Caps & Damaged Flashings

The peak of the roof and the flashing around chimneys and pipes take disproportionate hail impact.

Look at the Soft Metals

Dented aluminum gutters, dented AC condenser fins, dented mailbox — those are your evidence that the hail was large enough to matter.