Field guide

Roofer Storm Pages: The Inspection Report Is the Claim

Functional damage is a definition, and the page should print it

Hail claims turn on a distinction homeowners have never heard: functional damage versus cosmetic damage. A hail strike that fractures the shingle mat and knocks away the granules shielding the asphalt shortens the roof's life, and that is functional. A dent in a soft metal cap that looks dramatic and changes nothing about water shedding is cosmetic. Carriers pay for one of them, and a roofer page that explains the split in the homeowner's language, before mentioning the company once, is the page an assistant can safely quote.

The inspection method has a unit, and naming it builds the same trust. Inspectors mark test squares, commonly 10 feet by 10 feet on each slope, and count the strikes inside that caused functional damage. Adjusters use the same method, so a report written in test squares translates directly into the claim conversation. A page that describes the method teaches the homeowner what a real inspection looks like, which quietly disqualifies every competitor selling a free look from the driveway.

Soft metals testify first, shingles testify second

The clearest hail evidence on a house is often not on the shingles at all. Gutters, downspouts, flashing, vent caps, and the fins of an air conditioning condenser dent at sizes that correspond to the hail that fell, and they do it at eye level. Photographing those first, with dates attached, establishes the storm before anyone argues about the roof.

Then the sequence an honest page teaches: record the storm date, document from the ground, get the roof inspected before the adjuster visit, and notify the carrier inside the policy's window, which in many policies runs about a year from the date of loss. Homeowners who reverse that order, carrier first and documentation later, spend the claim reacting to someone else's summary. A storm page that prints the order of operations is useful in the worst week of a homeowner's year, and useful is what gets cited.

Local rules still run the page, not the storm chasers

Storm work attracts out of area crews, which is exactly why the local signals on this page matter. Google Business Profile Help caps service areas at 20, and the profile website link should land on the storm inspection page during storm season, not on a generic homepage. The page itself should name the company's actual base, its license, and how long it has worked the area, because the homeowner's real question after a storm is whether the company will exist when the warranty does.

One strong storm page, updated with each season's reality, beats a fresh landing page per storm per suburb. Assistants and homeowners both punish the second pattern, one with a skip, the other with a closed tab.

Frequently asked questions

What counts as functional hail damage on a roof?

Damage that shortens the roof's working life: hail strikes that fracture the shingle mat or strip the granules that protect the asphalt from ultraviolet light. Dents in soft metals or purely cosmetic marks, however dramatic, are usually classified separately by carriers.

What is a test square in a roof inspection?

A marked area, commonly 10 feet by 10 feet, on a roof slope where the inspector counts hail strikes that caused functional damage. Adjusters use the same method, so counts from a proper inspection report translate directly into the insurance claim discussion.

Should I get an inspection before or after calling my insurer?

Before, if timing allows. An independent, dated inspection report with photographs gives you a record to compare against the adjuster's findings. Also check your policy promptly, since many policies limit storm claims to a window of about a year from the date of loss.

Where is hail damage easiest to document?

On soft metals at ground level: gutters, downspouts, flashing, vent caps, and air conditioner condenser fins all dent in proportion to hail size. Photograph them with dates first, then have the shingles themselves inspected on the roof.