How to Tell If Your Roof Has Hail Damage (And What to Do Next)

Indianapolis gets hit by hail more often than most people realize. Central Indiana sits squarely in a zone where spring and summer thunderstorms regularly produce hailstones large enough to damage roofing materials. After a storm rolls through, your first question is usually: did my roof take a hit?

Here's how to assess the situation without climbing on your roof — and what to do if you suspect damage.

Check the Ground First

Before you even look up, look around your property. Hail doesn't just hit roofs — it hits everything, and the evidence on the ground tells you a lot about what happened up top.

• Dented gutters and downspouts. Metal gutters show hail impact clearly. Look for small dings, dents, or dimples along the length of your gutters. If your gutters are beat up, your shingles likely are too.
• Damaged siding. Vinyl siding cracks or chips on impact. Aluminum siding dents. Check the side of your home that faced the storm.
• Dings on outdoor AC units, cars, or mailboxes. If your car hood has fresh dents or your AC unit has pockmarks, the hail was large enough to cause roof damage.
• Splatter marks on decks or painted surfaces. Hail hitting wood or painted surfaces leaves round impact marks that look like someone flicked paint at the surface.

If you see damage on any of these, it's a strong indicator your roof needs a professional inspection.

What Hail Damage Looks Like on Shingles

If you can safely see your roof from ground level (binoculars help), or if an inspector goes up, here's what hail damage looks like on the most common roofing materials in Indianapolis:

Asphalt Shingles (Most Common in Indy)

• Dark spots where granules are missing. Hail knocks the protective granules off the shingle surface, exposing the dark asphalt underneath. These spots are usually round or irregular and feel soft when pressed.
• Cracks or fractures. Larger hailstones can crack shingles outright. These cracks may not be obvious immediately but worsen over time as water gets in.
• Dents that feel spongy. If you press on a hail-damaged area, it gives slightly — like pressing on a bruised apple. Undamaged shingles feel firm.
• Random pattern. Hail damage is scattered randomly across the roof, unlike wear patterns (which follow water flow) or foot traffic damage (which follows a path).

Metal Roofing

• Visible dents. Metal roofs show hail damage as cosmetic dents. These don't always affect performance but can be a warranty issue depending on severity.
• Chipped paint or coating. Impact can chip the protective coating, leading to potential rust spots over time if left untreated.

Wood Shakes

• Splits along the grain. Hail causes wood shakes to split, often with sharp edges and orange-tinted fresh wood visible at the split point.
• Impact dents with no weathering. Fresh dents on wood will look cleaner and lighter than the surrounding aged surface.

What Hail Damage Does NOT Look Like

Not every mark on a roof is hail damage. A few things commonly mistaken for hail:

• Blistering. Bubbles or raised spots on shingles are usually caused by trapped moisture or poor ventilation — not hail. Blisters are typically uniform and follow a pattern.
• Normal granule loss. All asphalt shingles shed some granules over their lifetime, especially in the first year. A moderate amount of granules in your gutters after a non-storm period is normal.
• Foot traffic damage. Scuffed or cracked shingles in a line or near roof features (vents, skylights) are usually from someone walking on the roof.
• Aging and weathering. Curling, cracking, and fading are signs of age, not storm impact. These happen gradually and uniformly.

When to Call a Professional

You should schedule a roof inspection if:

• Your neighborhood was hit by hail 1 inch in diameter or larger (roughly quarter-sized)
• You see any of the ground-level damage signs listed above
• Your neighbors are getting roof work done after the same storm
• Your homeowner's insurance company sends a notice about storm activity in your area

Important: Most reputable Indianapolis roofers offer free storm damage inspections. They'll get on the roof, document what they find, and give you an honest assessment. Be cautious of storm chasers — out-of-town crews that show up door-to-door after storms. Stick with established local companies that will be around if you need warranty work later.

How to File an Insurance Claim

If a roofer confirms hail damage, here's the process for filing a claim in Indiana:

1. Document everything yourself first. Take photos of damage you can see from the ground — gutters, siding, outdoor equipment. Note the date and time of the storm.
2. Contact your insurance company. File a claim and request an adjuster visit. In Indiana, you typically have one year from the date of the storm to file, but sooner is always better.
3. Get a professional inspection. Have a licensed roofer inspect and document the roof damage. Many Indianapolis roofers will meet with your insurance adjuster on-site to walk through the damage together.
4. Review the adjuster's report. Your insurance company will send an adjuster to assess the damage independently. Compare their findings with your roofer's report. If there's a significant gap, your roofer can help you supplement the claim.
5. Understand your deductible. Most Indiana homeowner policies have a deductible for wind/hail damage. This is your out-of-pocket cost before insurance covers the rest. Know your number before committing to work.
6. Choose your contractor and schedule the work. Once the claim is approved, select a roofer and get on their schedule. Peak storm season means longer wait times, so don't delay.

Don't Wait Too Long

Hail damage gets worse over time, not better. Those missing granules expose the asphalt layer to UV rays, which accelerates deterioration. Small cracks become entry points for water. What starts as cosmetic damage can turn into leaks, mold, and structural issues if left unaddressed for months.

Indiana's weather doesn't give your roof a break — summer heat bakes exposed spots, fall rain finds every crack, and winter freeze-thaw cycles widen gaps. If you suspect hail damage, get it inspected within a few weeks of the storm.