A working reference for homeowners, contractors, and adjusters — covering carrier-by-carrier standards, the HAAG protocol, the State Farm composition shingle protocol, TDI guidance, and a 51-point checklist for documenting hail damage in the field.
A professional guide to safety, evidence, and defensible documentation of storm damage. The accepted methodology for trained roof inspectors when method must stand up to scrutiny.
HAAG Engineering · PDFThe standard reference for evaluating hail damage to asphalt-composition shingles, including the difference between functional damage and cosmetic distress.
Hail AssessmentForensic engineering analysis distinguishing granule loss from genuine hail damage — used as engineering counterpoint in many carrier denials and as guidance for legitimate scope.
Granule Loss vs. Hail · PDFThe companion industry standard separating weathering, foot traffic, and mechanical wear from impact damage caused by hail. Critical when carrier engineers cite this same source.
Field Differentiation · PDFRoof hail damage can be hard to spot — especially if you've never looked for it before. But if your roof has been damaged by hail, the home may be vulnerable to leaks or accelerated deterioration of shingles and roofing materials.
Hail sometimes causes tears or holes in metal and fiberglass screen mesh.
Look for impact marks, cracked or broken glass on doors and windows.
Inspect metal doors for dings or dents; look for chipped paint or stain on wood doors.
Hail-damaged flower beds and bushes stripped or beaten down by a heavy hail storm.
May indicate shingle damage that holds moisture or older shingles with prior hail history.
If neighborhood cars have hail damage, area roofs likely sustained damage as well.
Contractors working on nearby homes after a storm signal a damage event in the area.
Broken bits or loose shingles in the yard often mean wind or hail damage on the roof.
Hail will crack or hole plastic yard furniture and chip paint or splinter wood pieces.
Look for cracked or broken light fixtures in the yard or on the sides of the house.
Check garage doors for dents, dings, paint chips, and scuff patterns.
Check play sets for dents, splintered wood, or light discolored spots in the stain.
Inspect shed roofs and siding — metal sheds dent; shingled sheds show dimples and granule loss.
Check the condenser housing for dents and inspect the coil fins for impact.
Cracks and holes in window well covers can indicate diameter and quantity of hail.
Dents in soft metal wall vents often point to potential roof damage above.
Look for fresh wood scrapes, dents, or splinters on wood fencing; holes or cracks in vinyl.
Large hail can cause visible cracks, splits, chips, and indentations in deck finishes.
Check any painted wood surfaces around the house for dimples, chips, or fresh exposed wood.
Look under eaves and porches for water trails on external wood pointing to old hail damage.
Splatter marks or dents on electrical panels or metal surfaces show direction and size of hail.
Storms may strip leaves and debris from trees, ending up in pools as a damage indicator.
Heavy wind storms bringing down large limbs often accompany large hail stones.
Cracks in piping and other pool equipment may indicate major roof damage above.
Hail impacts often show up as small dents and dimples in metal gutters and downspouts.
A dented or cracked mailbox may indicate a recent hail storm came through the area.
Hail impacts may remove dirt and algae from driveways, revealing size and direction of hail.
Check siding for splatter marks, dents, cracks, paint chips or holes. Pro tip: soak aluminum siding first.
Check windowsills and casings for small cracks, dents, and dings. Inspect caulking for tears.
Look for tears or deformation in metal or plastic leaf guards and gutter screens.
Hail loosens granules at each impact site — shingle granules in gutters point to hail damage.
Dents in metal vents or cracks in plastic vents typically mean the roof was hit with heavy hail.
Inspect flashing around chimneys and vents and the fascia for dents and dings.
Look for chipped paint, spatter marks, or damaged satellite dish components.
Check for cracked or broken glass if the roof has skylights.
Look for dents and dings on metal chimney covers. Use chalk sideways to reveal hard-to-see dings.
Check the roof for any missing shingles or shingle tabs that may have blown off.
Look for shingles that are easily pulled up or flapping from wind from storm damage.
Subtle spots of granule displacement, bruises in the shingle surface, or holes indicate damage.
Hail-damaged shingles may curl or stress-crack over time, aging faster than non-damaged shingles.
Check metal roofs for dents and dings. Chalk laid against the surface helps reveal subtle dings.
Wood shingles may be split or cracked, or have indentations affecting long-term integrity.
Look for punctures or cracks in soft roofing materials like PVC or weathered roof patch compounds.
Clay and slate tiles may be cracked and broken from large hail hits.
Slow or recurring water leaks inside the home may signal hail damage on the roof above.
Stains in ceiling corners or bubbling paint trapped between drywall and paint during storms.
Indoor light fixtures and can lights are often the first to show water leakage from roof damage.
Closets and other hard-to-reach areas often hide ceiling and wall water staining for months.
Interior mold or mildew on walls or ceilings can indicate a long-running roof leak.
If accessible, check attic rafters for water stains and wet insulation pointing to leaks during heavy rain.
Check garage ceilings and corners for any water stains, discolored walls, or moisture marks.
Damage potential depends on roof type, material quality, installation method, shingle layers, slope, and wind speed. As a baseline, a single layer of common asphalt shingle generally requires a 1-inch or larger diameter hailstone to sustain functional damage.
Roofs with multiple shingle layers can be damaged by smaller hail stones because the layered substrate is softer beneath the top shingle, transferring less force into structural support and more into the shingle itself.
Ice-stone impact tests combined with field observations provide a working correlation between hail size and damage potential across the most common roofing materials.
AG ClaimsWorks provides supplement consultation, scope review, and construction estimate support across Texas. If you're working a claim and the numbers don't reconcile, or a carrier inspector missed scope, we'll review the file and put together a defensible supplement.