Spotting roof damage

You can learn a lot about your roof without leaving the ground. This page explains the common kinds of damage, what each looks like, and how much each one matters. Use binoculars and your phone's zoom; skip the ladder.

Hail damage

Hail damages asphalt shingles by knocking off granules and cracking the fiberglass mat underneath. That bruise may not leak right away, but the shingle ages faster where the asphalt is exposed to sun, and the crack can spread.

What to look for from the ground:

• Dents in gutters, downspouts, metal roof vents, chimney caps and the AC unit's fins
• Torn window screens, chipped paint on the side of the house facing the storm
• A sudden pile of granules at downspout outlets or in the gutters
• Dark spots on the shingles that weren't there before, usually on the slopes that faced the storm

What a roofer looks for up close: dark impact marks where granules are gone, a soft spot when pressed, a crack visible on the back of a lifted shingle, and dents in soft metal like vent caps. Adjusters often mark a 10-by-10-foot test square on each slope and count hits inside it to judge whether that slope needs replacement.

Metal, tile and slate show hail differently. Metal dents; tile and slate crack or chip. See materials for each.

Not sure whether big hail fell near you? Your Roof Report counts reported days with 1-inch or larger hail within 5 miles since 2010 and shows the most recent ones.

Granule loss

Granules are the gritty surface on asphalt shingles. They block UV, which is strong at Colorado's elevation, and give the shingle its color.

• Normal: a scatter of loose granules for the first months after a new roof goes on.
• Aging: an even, gradual thinning across the whole roof, with more granules in the gutters each year. It means the roof is getting close to the end of its life.
• Damage: distinct spots or patches where granules are suddenly gone, especially right after a storm.

Curling, cupping and cracking

Shingles that curl at the edges (cupping) or curl in the middle (clawing) are drying out and shrinking. Cracks across a shingle often come from the same aging. Common causes are age, a hot, poorly ventilated attic, and years of strong sun. Curled shingles catch wind and blow off more easily, so a roof that's curling widely is usually near replacement.

Wind damage

Front Range downslope winds can gust near 100 mph. Wind lifts shingle edges, breaks the adhesive seal between courses, and can tear shingles off.

• Missing shingles show as a different color patch, often with black underlayment or bare decking.
• Creased shingles have a horizontal line across them where they bent back in the wind. They may still be in place but no longer sealed down.
• Lifted edges flutter in a breeze. Look along the rakes and ridge, where wind hits hardest.

Flashing and pipe boots

Many leaks start at flashing, not shingles. From the ground, look at:

• Chimneys: gaps, rust or missing sealant where metal meets brick
• Walls: where a lower roof meets a second-story wall, especially the bottom corner, which needs kickout flashing to turn water into the gutter
• Pipe boots: the collars around plumbing vents. Rubber boots crack in strong sun; the rubber looks gray, split or pulled away from the pipe.
• Skylights: stains on the ceiling around the frame, or debris piled on the uphill side

Leaks and what they tell you

Water travels along rafters and decking before it drips, so a ceiling stain is often several feet downhill from the actual hole.

• A stain near an exterior wall under the eave often points to ice-dam backup or a drip-edge problem.
• A stain under a chimney, skylight or vent points to flashing or a boot.
• A stain that shows only in winter may be condensation in a poorly ventilated attic, not a roof leak at all.
• Drips only during wind-driven rain often mean lifted shingles or flashing on the windward side.

If water is coming in, catch it, move valuables, and photograph everything. Then see when to get help.

Signs that aren't emergencies

• Dark streaks are usually algae. They're mostly cosmetic.
• Moss or lichen holds moisture against the roof and can lift shingle edges over time. Treat it gently, never with a pressure washer.
• A few nail pops (small bumps) are worth fixing at the next maintenance visit, not urgent.

What to do with what you find

1. Take dated photos from the ground, with something in the frame for scale.
2. Write down when you first noticed it and any storms since.
3. If it's storm-related, contact your insurer promptly. The Colorado Division of Insurance advises reporting as soon as possible. See insurance in plain English.
4. Get an inspection from a roofer you chose, not one who knocked on the door. See hiring a roofer.

Common questions

Can I see hail damage from the ground?

Often not on the shingles themselves, but you can see its signs. Dents on gutters, downspouts, metal vents and AC fins, and granules piling up in gutters, tell you hail hit hard enough to look closer.

Is granule loss always hail damage?

No. New shingles shed loose surface granules for a while, and all shingles lose granules slowly as they age. Concentrated spots of missing granules with a dark, soft center are what point to hail.

What does a hail bruise look like on a shingle?

A dark spot where granules were knocked off, often roughly round, that feels soft or spongy when pressed because the mat underneath cracked. Only a roofer or adjuster on the roof can confirm it.

Will a small leak fix itself?

No. Water that gets past the roof keeps finding its way in and can rot decking and insulation long before a stain shows on the ceiling. Find the source while it's small.