Hail happens, and if you have hail damage to your home, know that you aren’t alone. Hail damage is one of the top homeowners claims each year, with approximately one in 35 houses reporting a claim.
The amount of hail damage to your home depends on:
- Wind conditions (wind direction and speed)
- Hail size (¾” diameter on up)
- Hail shape (not all hail has smooth sides)
- The building materials on your home
- Natural barriers (like tree cover, landscaping, fences, neighboring homes, etc.)
If a hail storm sounds bad, and you find chunks of ice in your yard, don’t panic! Sometimes a storm can sound bad but it doesn’t mean your house has been impacted. There are signs to look for.
How to Tell If Your Home Has Hail Damage
Once the storm has passed, you’ll need to see if any hail damage has occurred to your home. This means knowing where and what to look for both on your roof, draining tools, decorative features and the sides of your home. Let’s start with the roof.
Depending on the type of roof you have, the hail damage will look different.
- Asphalt and composite shingles will show spots that are bruised like an apple, have a loss of granules, exposed roof felt, and dented flashing.
- Wood shingles will split, have sharp corners and edges, turn an orange or brown color, and you’ll see dents along the splits.
- Slate title will just break and fracture, and you’ll see punctures.
- Metal roofs will have scratch marks and indentations.
Your roof isn’t the only section of your house to check for hail damage. Vinyl and wood siding can get damaged and if you don’t repair them, more serious issues can develop. Vinyl siding will have dents, chipping, cracking, and peeling paint. Wood siding will have noticeable cracks and the damaged area will be darker than the undamaged areas.
Other signs of hail damage to your home include:
- Dents in your gutters and downspouts.
- Chipped paint and dents on decks, porches, shutters, or other painted surfaces.
- Nicks in your metal caps, wind turbines, and AC unit.
- Ripped window screens.
- Dings in your garage door.
- Buckling or warping around your doors and windows.
- Broken or fallen tree branches.
If you think you have hail damage, call a roofing company or general contractor to come out and do a professional inspection. Many professional inspections are done for free.
The estimate you’re given will tell you what repairs will need to be done, if any of the repairs can wait, and how much it will cost to repair your home.
Next, check out your homeowner’s insurance policy to verify that you have coverage and what your deductible is. Some homeowner’s insurance policies cover hail damage that is caused by extreme weather (strong winds, tornados, fallen limbs, etc.). Look in your hazard insurance section to see if you’re covered and for how much.
If the repairs cost more than your deductible, you can file a claim with your homeowner’s insurance. However, if you don’t file a claim, you’ll have to do the repairs yourself or pay a contractor to do them.
If you don’t have homeowners insurance, your claim was denied, or if you don’t have enough coverage, you still have options for your hail damaged home.
You can:
- Call the Red Cross and see if they can provide you with their disaster relief programs.
- List your home as-is on the market and hope to find a buyer.
- Sell your home to a we buy houses company, like ours, even if the frame is damaged.
- Contact the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for assistance, they have an Individuals and Households Program (IHP) that provides services to those affected by a disaster who are uninsured or under-insured.
- Reach out to your local government to see if they have any disaster programs for their residents. (Many local governments do.)
- Use a property auction to sell your home as-is.
Repair The Hail Damage
While hail damage can range from minor to severe, any kind of damage should be fixed as soon as possible even if you aren’t having problems yet. Dents, cracks, and other problems can weaken a roof’s outer layer and can allow the hail to enter your home and turn to water. If the water then sits, it can cause your home to develop issues like mold and dry rot in as little as 7 days. Being proactive with your repairs can save you thousands of dollars in the long run, and keep your home in great condition.
Now you know what to look for and what to do if your house has hail damage. And if you don’t want to deal with expensive repairs, call us at to see if we can buy your house for cash.