Identifying Hail Damage
And What To Do About It
If you live in Noblesville, Westfield or Carmel, you may have experienced one of several hail storms that hit Hamilton County this spring. Hail can range from pea-sized to softball-sized and cause all types of damage to roofs, gutters, siding, and garage doors. If you suspect a recent storm caused damage to your property, you might want to consider filing an insurance claim.
Hail, like wind or lightning, are considered "Acts of God" under many homeowners insurance policies. Whether or not your home is insured against an "Act of God" depends on the disaster and your policy’s writing. The team of inspectors with High & Dry Restoration specializes in identifying and qualifying damage, and working with insurance adjusters on your behalf to get your claim approved. We will guide you every step along the way and work to get the most out of your claim, with as little out-of-pocket as possible.
If your home suffered damage, contact us for a free, no-obligation inspection to determine your options and check out our FAQ's page for answers to common questions about the claim process.
How do you know if your roof has storm damage? If your property shows signs of damage at the ground level, it is also possible that your roof and other key structures are damaged. Call us to perform a comprehensive inspection if you see any of the following:
1. Dented Gutters & Downspouts
Look for dents and dings on gutters and downspouts. If a hailstorm has struck your area, hail stone impacts will often show up in small dents and dimples in metal gutters and downspouts.
2. Blown Off Shingles
Look for broken bits or loose shingles that may have fallen off around the house and in the yard. Hail is usually accompanied by high winds. If you see shingles in the yard, you may have wind or hail damage to the roof.
3. Mailbox Damage
A dented or cracked mailbox may indicate a recent hailstorm came through the area. Look for cracks or holes in plastic mailboxes or dents in metal mailboxes.
4. Hail Splatter Marks on Driveway
Hailstone impacts may remove dirt, grime, algae from driveway surfaces, indicating size and direction of hail fall. Look for splatter marks on your driveway that are lighter than surrounding areas on driveways or sidewalks.
5. Damaged Siding
Check your home’s siding for splatter marks, dents, cracks, paint chips or holes. In heavy hailstorms, this damage will be obvious. But smaller hailstones can also cause damage that may point to hail damage on your roof.
6. Damaged Air Conditioner or Heat Pump
Check the condenser coil fins on your A/C unit to see if they are crushed or damaged. Hail can also leave impact marks on the housing.
7. Damaged Windowsills/Casings
Check windowsills and casing for small cracks, dents, and dings. Check caulking for tears or signs of impact. Also check window glass for small cracks.
8. Dented Garage Doors
Check garage doors for dents, dings, paint chips, and scuff patterns.
9. Torn Window/Door Screens
Hail sometimes causes tears or holes in metal and fiberglass window screen mesh.
10. Broken or Cracked Glass (Windows/Doors)
Look for any impact marks, cracked or broken glass on doors and windows.
11. Dented Dryer Vents or Wall Vents
Dents in the soft metal of various wall vents may point to potential roof damage.
12. Chips or Dents to Deck Stain/Paint
Large hail stones may cause visible damage to your deck. Check deck stain/paint for cracks, splits, chips, and indentations.
13. Damage to Painted Wood Surfaces
Check any painted wood surfaces around the house for dimples or paint chips. Look for freshly exposed wood.
14. Damaged Pool Pump Equipment
Cracks in piping and other pool equipment may indicate major roof damage.
15. Window Well Covers
Cracks and holes in window well covers may indicated diameter and quantity of hail.
16. Utility Shed Damage
Check sheds or buildings for damage to metal roofing, siding, etc. Look closely at the roof of metal utility sheds for dents. Look at shingled utility sheds for small spots where shingles are dimpled or have missing granules.
17. Door Dents or Paint Damage
Inspect metal doors for dings or dents, or look for chipped paint or stain on wood doors.
18. Damage to Fencing
On wood fencing, look for fresh wood scrapes from hail impact, dents, or splintered wood. Look for holes or cracks in vinyl fencing.