Hail Damage Roof Inspection & Repair.
Hail damage is one of the most commonly missed roof problems a homeowner will face. We inspect roofs across the Chicago area, document what the storm did, and work directly with your insurance company on the repair.
01 / Hail Damage in the Chicago Area
The Damage You Can't See From the Ground.
Hail damage to a roof is one of the most commonly missed problems a homeowner will face. Unlike a missing shingle or an obvious leak, hail impact leaves marks that are invisible from the ground and often don’t cause interior symptoms for months. By the time water shows up on your ceiling, the roof has been failing for a while.
RX Roofing & Construction provides hail damage roof inspection and repair throughout the Chicago area. After a major storm comes through, our crews are out inspecting roofs and helping homeowners understand what happened, what it means, and whether insurance will cover the repair.
02 / What Hail Does to a Roof
Different Materials Take Hail Differently.
The damage hail causes depends on the size of the hailstones, the speed and angle of impact, and the roofing material. Here is what we look for on each kind of roof.
Asphalt Shingles
Hail hits knock granules off the shingle surface, exposing the asphalt mat underneath to UV and moisture. The impact points often show as dark, bruised spots you can spot on close inspection.
This is different from normal granule wear: it shows up as random circular impact spots rather than uniform thinning. Over time, compromised shingles let water reach the underlayment and eventually the decking.
Cedar Shake
Hail causes splits, fractures, and loose fibers on the shake surface. Cedar is harder than asphalt and can absorb some impact, but significant hail will crack individual shakes. Split or fractured cedar lets water behind the roofing system faster than intact shakes would. Cedar is a common choice on larger homes, and it still needs a close look after a storm.
DaVinci Composite
DaVinci’s Class 4 impact resistance rating gives meaningful protection against hail, and impact marks may not compromise the material’s protective function the way they would on asphalt. Even so, a large hail event can still cause visible surface damage that is worth an inspection.
It isn’t just the shingles. Hail hits metal flashing and causes dents and sometimes punctures. Ridge cap material can crack on impact. Gutters get dented and knocked out of alignment. These parts are all part of the full damage picture, and we assess them along with the shingles.
03 / How We Assess Hail Damage
We Get on the Roof and Inspect the Full Surface.
We don’t guess from the driveway. We get up on the roof, walk the whole surface, and document the impact pattern across every section. Here is what we look for.
- Circular impact marks and granule displacement on asphalt shingles
- Bruising or cracking you can feel when you press the impact area
- Splits, fractures, or missing material on cedar shake
- Damaged or dented flashing at all penetrations and transitions
- Dented or displaced ridge cap material
- Gutter dents and damage along the roofline
We photograph every section that shows damage, document the impact pattern across the roof, and write up notes on the extent and type of damage. That documentation is what supports your insurance claim. After the inspection, we walk you through what we found and explain clearly what the repair or replacement scope looks like, what is likely to be covered by insurance, and what the next steps are.
04 / Insurance Coverage for Hail Damage
We Handle the Insurance Side With You.
Hail damage to a roof is among the most commonly covered claims under standard homeowners insurance policies in the Chicago area. Coverage usually extends to the repair or replacement cost when hail causes damage that materially shortens the roof’s expected remaining life.
We work directly with your insurance company from the moment we document the damage. We talk to the adjuster, provide our inspection report and photos, follow up through the approval process, and complete the approved scope of work once the claim is confirmed. You’re involved in the major decisions, but you don’t have to manage the insurance side of it.
Hail Damage Doesn't Announce Itself.
Hail impact rarely causes an immediate leak. The marks sit on the roof for months while granules wash away and the asphalt mat takes on UV and moisture. By the time you see a water stain inside, the roof has been failing for a while and the damage is harder to trace back to the storm.
A free inspection right after a hailstorm catches the problem while it's still easy to document and while the cause is clear. If a storm recently came through your area, the smart move is a quick look before the next rain cycle adds to it.
- Catch Hidden Damage Before It Leaks
- Document the Damage While the Cause Is Clear
- A Small Repair Now Beats a Big One Later
05 / Repair vs. Replacement After Hail
We'll Give You an Honest Assessment Either Way.
Whether hail damage calls for a repair or a full replacement depends on the extent of the damage, the age of the roof, and the baseline condition of the material before the storm.
When hail damage is concentrated in a limited area and the rest of the roof is in good shape, a targeted repair is often the right call. When impact damage is spread across a large portion of the roof, or the roof was already aging before the storm, a full replacement is frequently the more practical outcome. On an older roof, insurance adjusters and contractors often reach the same conclusion.
If repair is the right call, we’ll repair it. If replacement makes more sense, we’ll explain why. Either way you get the straight story. See our residential roofing page for replacement options.
06 / Common Questions
Hail Damage, Answered.
Most hail damage is invisible from the ground and often doesn’t cause interior symptoms for months. On asphalt it shows up as random circular impact spots with granule loss and dark bruised marks, not the uniform thinning you get from normal wear. The reliable way to know is to have us get on the roof and inspect the full surface. We do that at no charge after a storm.
Hail damage to a roof is among the most commonly covered claims under standard homeowners insurance policies in the Chicago area. Coverage usually extends to the repair or replacement cost when hail materially shortens the roof’s expected remaining life. We document the damage, work directly with your adjuster, and complete the approved scope once the claim is confirmed.
No. When the damage is concentrated in a limited area and the rest of the roof is in good shape, a targeted repair is often the right call. A full replacement makes more sense when impact damage is spread across a large portion of the roof or the roof was already aging before the storm. We’ll tell you which one fits your roof.
Nothing. We offer free post-storm roof inspections throughout the Chicago area. We get on the roof, document what we find with photos and written notes, and walk you through the results before you make any decisions.
07 / Get Started
Schedule a Free Hail Damage Inspection.
We offer free post-storm roof inspections throughout Chicago and the surrounding area. If a hailstorm recently came through, don’t wait to find out whether your roof was hit. Call or text us to schedule, and you’ll get a written summary of what we find. We’re available Monday to Friday 7am to 7pm and Saturday 7am to 5pm.
You can also see our storm damage restoration page for more on what the process looks like.