Post-storm count
The usual visit after a spring or summer storm. The count is made quickly, while the bruises are fresh, and the metal parts and the attic are checked on the same visit.
Serving Marion County
Hail Damage Roof Inspection in Indianapolis, IN
A slope-by-slope count of hail hits, the metal parts checked, and a dated record that separates storm marks from older wear.
- Ice dams and freeze-thaw
- Marion County and suburbs
- Roof repair and replacement
Get a fast quote
Fastest: call (833) 751-2102. Or send this and we call you back.
Hail Inspection
Hail Damage Roof Inspection: what it covers
Quick answer
A hail damage inspection in Indianapolis counts the hits on each slope in a marked test square, checks the vents, gutters and flashing for round dents, and reads the attic for water that has got past the covering. Hail arrives with the spring and summer storms of central Indiana, and the report records what the storm did to the roof and what was already there.
Hail in central Indiana comes with the spring and summer storms, and it leaves its clearest mark on the metal parts of a roof. A round dent in a vent cap or a gutter run is the kind of evidence that a shingle bruise is sometimes too faint to provide, so the inspection starts there as well as on the slopes.
Indianapolis Roofing connects Indianapolis callers with a local technician who visits the roof and writes up the count. The technician does not start from a conclusion. The count, the photographs and the attic findings come first, and the summary follows from them.
The sections below cover how hail is read on an Indianapolis roof, what the report includes and how a homeowner can use it for a repair or a claim.
- Service area
- Indianapolis & Marion County
- Availability
- Phones answered 24/7
- Phone
- (833) 751-2102
How does hail mark an asphalt shingle?
Hail breaks the granules at the point of impact and can crack the fiberglass mat underneath. The bruise may be dark, soft or bare, and it can be serious even when the shingle still looks whole from the ground.
A shingle is a mat coated with asphalt and covered in mineral granules. The granules take the first impact, and where it is hard enough they are knocked away and the asphalt below is exposed. The exposed asphalt weathers faster than the granule-covered parts, so a bruise can become a leak years later.
The inspection therefore checks the surface and presses suspect spots. A bruised shingle can be sound for a season and a cracked mat can leak at once, so the record notes both and the repair decision uses both.
Which parts of the roof show hail first?
The windward slopes take the most hits, and the metal parts show them most plainly. A dent in a vent cap or a gutter run is hard to explain by anything else, and it is often the clearest evidence on a house.
Hail is carried by the wind, so the side facing the storm usually takes more of it. A house can show heavy hits on one slope and light ones on the opposite side, and each slope is recorded on its own so the pattern is visible.
Metal is the witness that rarely lies. A ridge vent or a flashing edge with round dents shows the size and direction of the hail, and the technician notes the dents where they can be measured. The shingle count is then read alongside them.
How is the count made, and what does it mean?
The count is the number of hits inside a marked square on each slope, with photographs and a location for each hit. It is a measure of the roof's condition, and it is written so a reader who was not on the roof can follow it.
A test square is laid in the same place on each slope so the counts can be compared. A slope with many hits in its square is one that needs close attention, and a slope with few is recorded too, so the report does not overstate the damage.
The report states how the count was made and where it was taken. It does not give a value for the damage, because that is the insurer's decision under the policy, and the record is written to support whichever decision follows.
Can hail-damaged shingles be repaired rather than replaced?
Sometimes. A few damaged shingles on one slope can often be replaced with a match. Widespread granule loss or cracked mats across several slopes usually point toward replacement, and the age of the roof is part of that decision.
A repair is weighed against the whole roof. Replacing a few shingles only helps when the new ones match the rest closely enough to lie flat and weather the same way. Older shingles can be discontinued or faded, and a patch that does not match can leak at the seam.
When hits cover most slopes, a repair buys time but not much more. The technician states which option the findings support and why, and gives the homeowner the reasons in writing.
When should the inspection be booked?
As soon as the storm has passed and the roof can be walked safely. Early visits show fresher bruises, and an early record is easier to rely on later if a claim is opened.
Some hail damage changes over time. Granules wash into the gutters, and a dark bruise can weather to a fainter mark within weeks. A roof with an open tear or a leak needs a temporary cover before the inspection, and the cover is recorded.
The line is answered around the clock on (833) 751-2102. An inspection can be booked for a time that suits the homeowner, and it does not require anyone to be on the roof. Having attic access clear and any earlier repair records to hand helps the visit.
Warning signs
Signs you need hail damage roof inspection
Do not climb a roof after a storm to look for hail damage. Granules and cracked shingles can make a roof slippery, and soft decking can give way under weight. Stay on the ground and photograph what you can see from the yard, and let a technician with the right equipment do the walk. Keep people and pets clear of the area below the roof edge while anyone is on the roof.
- Round dents in roof vents, flashing edges or the aluminum of a gutter run
- Granules in the gutter, collected most heavily under the windward slopes
- Dark bruises on shingles that stay dark when pressed
- Bare patches where the mat shows through the granule surface
- Ceiling stains in a room under the roof after a heavy rain
- Split or cracked shingles on the side of the roof the storm came from
- Dented fence panels, car paint or window screens in the same yard
Our process
How our hail damage roof inspection visit works
Read the storm and the address
The technician reads the storm record for the address first. The warning and the date are noted, and the storm's report is compared with what the roof shows. A warning is a radar estimate, so the roof itself decides the finding.
Count each slope in a test square
A marked square of set size is laid on each slope, and every hit inside it is counted and photographed. The same square is used on each slope so the counts can be compared across the roof.
Check the metal parts first
Vents, flashing edges, gutters and downspouts are checked for round dents, and the size of each dent is noted where it can be measured. Metal shows the hail's direction more clearly than shingles do.
Separate hail from ice and wear
Ice cracks, age, blistering and foot traffic can resemble hail. The technician notes which marks are hail and which are not, and says where the call is uncertain.
Write the record for the owner
The owner receives the counts by slope, the photographs with their locations, the attic findings and a plain summary. The record is dated and can be sent to the insurer or kept for a later check.
Options
Types and options for hail damage roof inspection
Second-storm comparison
A visit after a second storm, compared with the record from the first. New marks are separated from old ones, which is only possible when the first record exists.
Insurance-ready record
A count and photographs written so an adjuster can follow them without climbing the roof. The record names the storm and the warning, and it states what is not certain.
One call and it gets handled.
Tell us when you need someone and we book the earliest visit a hail damage roof inspection technician has, and you approve the price before any work starts.
Marion County
Why hail damage roof inspection is different in Central Indiana
Hail and straight-line wind are the two spring and summer threats to roofs across central Indiana, and the storm record for an address is the first thing a hail inspection reads. A roof in Marion County that was struck in a spring storm can show its first leak at a later heavy rain.
The derecho of 10 August 2020 brought wind damage across the central part of the state, and the same storm path can carry hail with it. The record for each address is checked for both, so a hail count is not made without the wind record beside it.
The inspection treats each slope as its own record, and the metal parts on the same roof often show more clearly than the shingles. In the older houses of Broad Ripple and the suburbs of Carmel and Fishers, the vents and flashings are the first place the technician looks.
Related
Related services
Storm Damage Records for Insurance
A dated, photographed roof record for a claim after ice, wind or hail, with no promise about what the insurer will pay.
Roof Replacement
A full replacement planned from a written inspection, with the decking, the underlayment and the ventilation explained before the work starts.
Gutter and Downspout Repair
Straightening or replacing gutter runs, clearing ice-blocked outlets and resetting the downspouts that carry water away from the wall.
Derecho and Fallen-Tree Roof Repair
Making an open roof safe after a derecho or a fallen tree, clearing limbs with the right equipment, and recording the damage for the insurer.
Where we work
Hail Damage Roof Inspection across Marion County
- Hail Inspection in Indianapolis
- Hail Inspection in Haughville
- Hail Inspection in Fountain Square
- Hail Inspection in Meridian-Kessler
- Hail Inspection in Beech Grove
- Hail Inspection in Irvington
- Hail Inspection in Lawrence
- Hail Inspection in Speedway
- Hail Inspection in Southport
- Hail Inspection in Decatur Township
- Hail Inspection in Broad Ripple
- Hail Inspection in Clermont
- Hail Inspection in Cumberland
- Hail Inspection in Castleton
- Hail Inspection in Greenwood
- Hail Inspection in Camby
- Hail Inspection in Avon
- Hail Inspection in Brownsburg
- Hail Inspection in Plainfield
- Hail Inspection in New Palestine
- Hail Inspection in Carmel
- Hail Inspection in Zionsville
- Hail Inspection in Fishers
- Hail Inspection in Whiteland
Not sure if you're covered? Check your ZIP code.
Guides
Read before you book
When do freeze-thaw and storm seasons hit Indianapolis roofs?
Indianapolis roofs are tested in two seasons.
What should an Indianapolis roof inspection check?
A thorough Indianapolis roof inspection checks the attic, the decking, the eave and ice-dam line, the shingles or covering, the flashing and the gutters, and it records the storm and ice record for the address.
FAQ
Hail Damage Roof Inspection FAQs
Can hail damage be seen from the ground?
Sometimes. Dented vents, gutters and downspouts can be seen from the yard, and so can granules in the gutter. Bruised shingles often cannot be judged from below, so the inspection is made on the roof.
Does an inspection mean my insurer will replace the roof?
No. The inspection records what it finds. Your insurer and your policy decide what is covered and what it pays. The photographs and the count are the record to send to the insurer.
How soon after a storm should I call?
As soon as the storm has passed and the roof can be checked safely. Fresh bruises are easier to read, and an early written record is more useful if a claim is opened later.
What if my street was not in the storm path?
A warning is a radar estimate, and hail can fall in a narrow path. The inspection checks the roof itself, and a roof with no marks is recorded as having none.
Do I have to be home for the visit?
It helps to be home so you can ask questions, and to have the attic access open. You do not need to be on the roof, and the technician explains what was found before leaving.
How do I book?
Call (833) 751-2102. The line is answered around the clock, and a visit can be booked for a time that suits you.