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4 cited sources on this page · Reviewed August 16, 2026Key takeaways
The short version
- Hail damage is usually invisible from the ground.
- Soft metal — gutters, vents, AC fins — shows it first and is the easiest tell.
- The damage progresses; a bruised shingle leaks later, not immediately.
- Prompt reporting matters, and 'prompt' is defined by the policy.
The short answer
Direct answer
Hail bruises and fractures roofing materials in ways that are frequently invisible from the ground but shorten the roof's life and eventually leak. It also damages siding, gutters, vents, skylights and the fins on outdoor mechanical equipment. Have it inspected after a significant hail event rather than waiting for a leak, because most policies expect prompt reporting.
What hail actually does to a roof
On asphalt shingles, hail impact fractures the mat and dislodges the granules that protect it from ultraviolet light. The result is a bruise — a soft spot with granule loss — that does not leak on the day and does leak eventually, because the exposed mat degrades.
On other materials the mechanism differs: hail cracks wood shakes, chips and fractures slate and tile, and dents metal roofing. What they share is that a roof can be materially damaged while looking, from ground level, exactly as it did the week before.
Where the damage shows first
Soft metal takes the clearest impression, so gutters, downspouts, roof vents, flashing, and the fins of outdoor air conditioning and heat pump units are the easiest place to confirm a hail event happened and how hard it hit.
Siding, window frames, decks, painted surfaces and vehicles all record it too. Checking those from the ground is a reasonable first step before anyone goes anywhere near a roof.
- Gutters, downspouts and drip edge
- Roof vents, flashing and pipe boots
- Outdoor AC and heat pump fins
- Siding, especially softer materials and painted surfaces
- Window frames, screens and skylights
- Decks, railings and outdoor furniture
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Why the timing matters
Most policies expect a loss to be reported promptly, and a hail claim made a year after the storm invites a question about when the damage actually happened and whether it was this event.
It also invites a question that is harder to answer: whether the roof was already worn. The nearer to the event the inspection happens, the less of that there is to argue about.
Documenting a hail claim
Note the date of the storm and keep any local record of it. Photograph the soft-metal evidence from the ground, the siding and any damaged property, and record the size of the hail if you saw it.
Roof inspection is for someone equipped to be on a roof safely. A reputable inspection produces photographs of the actual damage with reference for scale, not a verbal assurance that it is bad.
The mechanical equipment nobody checks
Hail flattens the fins on outdoor condensing units, which restricts airflow and makes the equipment work harder for less output. It is a real loss, it is frequently overlooked in the claim, and it is easy to see from a metre away.
The same applies to any exposed ventilation, exhaust or intake with a louvre or a fin. Check them while you are checking the gutters.
What happens if it is left
A bruised shingle continues to lose granules and the exposed mat degrades under ultraviolet exposure. The roof does not fail on a schedule, but its remaining life is shortened and the eventual failure is a leak into the building rather than a visible roof problem.
At that point it is an interior water loss with a roof cause, and the hail event is far enough back that establishing it as the cause is considerably harder.
Hail in the Greater Burlington area
Vermont does not see the hail frequency of the plains states, and that is precisely why it gets missed here. A significant hail event is unusual enough that most property owners have no habit of checking afterwards, and roofs carry the damage quietly for years.
Summer convective storms are the source, and they are highly localised — a cell can put damaging hail across part of Williston or Essex while a property three miles away in South Burlington sees nothing. A regional forecast is not evidence either way about a specific address.
The other local factor is that this region's roofs already work hard. A roof that has spent every winter under snow load and ice-dam cycling has less margin left, so hail damage on top of that shortens the remaining life more than the same damage would elsewhere.
Clear answers
Common questions
Can I tell if my roof has hail damage from the ground?
Usually not on the roof itself. What you can check from the ground is the soft metal — gutters, vents, flashing, AC fins — and the siding, which record the impact clearly and tell you whether an inspection is worth arranging.
My roof is not leaking. Is there still damage?
Possibly. Hail bruises fracture the shingle mat and remove protective granules without producing an immediate leak. The damage is to the roof's remaining life, and the leak comes later.
How long do I have to report hail damage?
Policies expect prompt reporting and the specifics vary. The longer the gap, the harder it is to establish which storm caused it and whether the roof was already worn. Report it when you find it and ask your insurer about their requirement.
Does hail damage the air conditioner?
It flattens the fins on outdoor condensing units, which restricts airflow and reduces performance. It is a genuine loss and it is one of the most commonly overlooked items in a hail claim.
Should I let a contractor who knocked on the door inspect it?
Verify who you are dealing with before anyone goes on your roof or signs anything on your behalf — the legal business name, Vermont registration where it applies, and what you are actually authorising. Read anything that assigns your insurance proceeds.
What does a proper hail inspection produce?
Photographs of the actual damage with something for scale, identified by roof slope and area, rather than a verbal assessment. That is what an adjuster can work from.
Authoritative references
Sources used on this page
Time-sensitive rules and public guidance should be checked at the source before work begins.