Roof Problems · Hail Damage
Illinois sits in one of the most hail-active corridors in the country. Here's what hail actually does to a roof — and why a free inspection matters after every major storm.
Fresh hail hits on asphalt shingles look like dark spots where granules have been knocked away, sometimes with a soft, bruised feel. Over weeks those spots lose more granules, exposing the asphalt mat to UV, which then cracks — that's when leaks begin, often months after the storm.
From the ground, you often can't see shingle damage at all. The reliable ground-level indicators are dents in soft metals: gutter faces, downspouts, aluminum fascia wrap, roof vents, and the fins of outdoor AC units. If the soft metals are dented, the shingles took the same hits.
Hailstones falling at terminal velocity strike with enough energy to fracture the fiberglass mat inside a shingle. Wind-driven hail hits at an angle, concentrating damage on one or two slopes — which is why damage is rarely uniform across the roof.
Older shingles are more brittle and damage more easily at smaller stone sizes. Impact-resistant (Class 4) shingles flex under impact rather than fracturing, and many Illinois insurers offer premium discounts for them — worth asking about at replacement time.
Common causes
After any storm with hail roughly one inch or larger, schedule an inspection promptly — even with no leak. Insurance policies have filing windows, and hail damage is far easier to document and attribute while the storm date is recent.
If you see granules collecting at downspout outlets or actual shingle pieces on the ground after a storm, don't wait for the inspection — document with photos and call.
Isolated hail hits on a newer roof can sometimes be repaired shingle-by-shingle. But hail damage is usually measured in hits per test square across each slope; when density passes the threshold your insurer uses, the standard resolution is replacement of the affected slopes or the full roof. A proper inspection documents hit density slope-by-slope so the repair-vs-replace question is answered with evidence, not opinion.
Yes. Bruised shingles shed granules for months, then crack. Many hail-damaged roofs don't leak for a year or more — by which time the insurance filing window may have closed. Inspection after the storm, not after the leak, is the right order.
Hail is an 'act of God' claim, and Illinois insurers generally cannot raise an individual policyholder's rate for a weather claim alone — though storm-prone regions can see area-wide rate adjustments regardless of whether you file. Confirm specifics with your agent.
You can check gutters, downspouts, and the AC unit from the ground. But reading shingle bruising accurately takes training and a safe roof walk — bruises that matter are subtle, and a misread either way is expensive.
Get a free, no-obligation inspection. We'll confirm the diagnosis, show you photos of what we find, and give you honest options.
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