You should never climb on your own roof after a Texas hailstorm. Wet asphalt is slick, the damage that matters is often invisible at arm's length, and one wrong step turns a property loss into an emergency-room visit. The good news: you don't have to. After thousands of post-storm inspections across DFW, we've found the same five ground-level signs reliably predict shingle damage above.
Use this checklist within a day or two of any hail event. If you spot two or more of these, your roof almost certainly has impact bruising that's only going to get worse.
1. Gutter and downspout dents
Aluminum gutter material is softer than the asphalt and fiberglass mat that makes up your shingles. If hail had enough energy to dent the gutter face, gutter apron, or downspout, it had more than enough energy to fracture the protective granules above.
Walk the full perimeter of the house. Look at the gutter face from below, and look down the length of each downspout. Round, evenly-distributed dimples — not creases — are the signature of hail. Creases and tears usually mean a tree limb or wind-driven debris.
2. Splatter marks on painted and metal surfaces
Fresh hail leaves dark, slightly oily-looking splatter marks where it strikes — oxidized aluminum, painted fascia, garage doors, fence posts, mailboxes. These marks fade within a few weeks, which is exactly why we ask homeowners to photograph them immediately after a storm.
Splatter pattern density is one of the best predictors of overall storm severity. Heavy, evenly distributed splatter across all four elevations is the fingerprint of a slow-moving hail core and usually means the roof took a beating.
3. AC condenser fin damage
Your outdoor AC unit's aluminum fins are the most sensitive hail indicator on the property. They bend at hail sizes that won't even mark a gutter. Walk around the unit and look at the fin pattern — if you see a bent, dented, or flattened section facing the direction the storm came from, you had impact-grade hail at that location.
Important: do not try to comb or straighten the fins yourself before an adjuster sees them. That damage is part of your claim, and your homeowner's policy frequently covers fin straightening or a full coil replacement.
4. Window screen punctures
Window screens take the same hits the roof does. After a real hail event, screens facing the windward side of the house will have small, clean punctures — sometimes a single hole, sometimes a half-dozen. This is concrete evidence of impact and one of the easiest things to photograph from the ground.
Replace the screens after the claim closes, not before — and keep at least one damaged screen on hand in case the carrier requests a re-inspection.
5. Granules in the gutters and downspout splash zones
Hail impact knocks the protective ceramic granules off asphalt shingles. Those granules flow with the next rain into your gutters and out the downspouts. Look for a sandy, dark-gray accumulation at the bottom of every downspout splash zone, and look inside the gutter trough at the corners.
A handful of granules is normal — shingles shed slowly their whole life. Cup-fuls of granules within days of a storm is a red flag. Combined with any of the other four signs above, it's a near-certain indicator of fresh impact damage.
Don't trust a 'free roof inspection' from a stranger in your driveway
After every DFW hailstorm, out-of-state crews flood the neighborhoods knocking on doors. Most are paid by lead volume, not honest assessment. A real inspection is performed by an insured local contractor with photos, written documentation, and no contract pressure.
DKG Roofing is veteran-owned and based in Aledo, TX, serving North Texas. We inspect North Texas roofs. Our free inspections include hail-strike counts per square, soft-metal documentation, attic moisture readings, and a written report you can hand directly to your adjuster — whether or not you ever hire us. Schedule one on our roof inspections page.
What to do once you've spotted the signs
If you've identified two or more ground-level indicators, take the following steps in order:
- Photograph every sign with your phone (date-stamped automatically).
- Save a screenshot of the storm radar from your weather app.
- Schedule a free, insured inspection — see our storm damage response page.
- Wait for the written inspection report before calling your insurance carrier.
- If a leak is active, request emergency tarping while the claim is opened.
Need an estimator out today? Request your free inspection and we'll get a real person on the way.
Emergency tarping and next steps
If your roof is leaking right now or you just spotted hail damage from the ground, do not wait on the insurance call to act. Our storm damage response page walks through the full North Texas emergency response — free same-day inspection, emergency tarping to stop active leaks, written damage documentation for your adjuster, and the insurance claim handled end to end.
DKG Roofing is veteran-owned and based in Aledo, TX, serving North Texas. Call (940) 497-2833 for emergency tarping, or request a free inspection online and an estimator will reach out the same day.
Frequently asked questions
How big does hail have to be to damage my roof?
Hail as small as one inch — about the size of a quarter — can damage a 3-tab asphalt shingle roof. Architectural shingles usually need stones of 1.25 inches or larger. Wind speed, shingle age, and the angle of impact matter as much as stone size, so do not rely on radar reports alone. The reliable test is ground-level evidence: gutter dents, splatter marks, and AC fin damage. If you see those, schedule a free roof inspection.
Can I spot hail damage on shingles from the ground with binoculars?
Sometimes, but not reliably. Severe bruising and missing granule patches can occasionally be seen from below in low-angle morning or evening sun. Most claim-grade damage is only visible up close, so use binoculars to confirm soft-metal damage on vents and ridge caps, then have an insured contractor with proper fall protection do the actual roof walk. Never climb a wet or steep roof yourself.
How long after a storm can I still file a hail claim in Texas?
Most Texas homeowner policies give you one year from the date of the storm to file a hail claim. Some policies allow longer — check your declarations page. The longer you wait, the easier it is for the insurance company to argue the damage came from a different storm. The right order is: document the damage now, get a free inspection this week, then open the claim with the report in hand.
Do I need a new roof after every hailstorm?
No, not every hailstorm requires a roof replacement. Light hail may cause cosmetic damage that does not shorten the roof's life. Insurance companies typically approve a full replacement when there are eight or more impact bruises per 100 square feet of roof, but local building code and your specific policy control the actual answer. A free inspection will tell you whether you have repair-grade damage, replacement-grade damage, or no damage at all.
Is the roof inspection really free, even if I do not file a claim?
Yes. Our roof inspections are free for North Texas homeowners whether you file an insurance claim or not, and whether you hire us or not. After the inspection we'll walk you through what we found in plain English. A written report with photos is available for a fee, and it's included when you move forward with us or when we're handling your insurance claim. There is never a contract handed to you in the driveway and never pressure to sign anything before your insurance company has weighed in.