Hail Damage on Your Roof: 7 Signs San Antonio Homeowners Miss
Hail damage does not always announce itself. After the September 11, 2026 storm — the National Weather Service reported hail up to 2.5 inches in Converse — plenty of roofs looked fine from the street and were still damaged. Here is what I check when I get on a roof after a hail storm, and what you can check from the ground.
1. Dented gutters, downspouts and vents
Hail hits the soft metal first. Dents on gutters, downspouts, roof vents and AC fins are the easiest early warning that the roof took a hit too.
2. Granules washing into the gutters
On a shingle roof, hail knocks the protective granules loose. If your gutters and downspout splash blocks are full of sand-like granules after a storm, the shingles lost part of their armor.
3. Bruised shingles you cannot see from the ground
A hailstone can bruise a shingle without cracking it open. The bruise feels soft when pressed and shows up weeks or months later as a leak. This is the damage most often missed — it takes getting on the roof and feeling the shingles.
4. Cracked or split shingles and tiles
Larger hail cracks shingles outright and breaks tile. Any split is an open path for water, even if it is not leaking yet.
5. Punctures on a flat or TPO roof
On a flat roof, hail can puncture the membrane. The puncture may be small and the leak may show up far from where the water gets in, because water travels under a flat membrane.
6. Leaks that show up weeks later
A surprising number of hail claims start as a stain on a ceiling a month after the storm. If a stain appears after a known hail date, tell your inspector the storm date — it matters for the claim.
7. Damage that is only on one slope
Hail driven by wind hits one side of a roof harder than the others. One slope can be wrecked while the other looks new. A real inspection checks every slope, not just the front.
What to do after a hail storm
- Take photos from the ground of anything you can see: dents, granules, debris.
- Do not climb a steep roof yourself. A free inspection exists for exactly this.
- Note the storm date. Insurance claims are tied to a date of loss, and most Texas policies give you up to a year to file — but sooner is always better for documentation.
- One thing Texas law is strict about: a contractor cannot waive or absorb your deductible. Anyone offering to do that is putting your claim at risk.
If your home is anywhere in the San Antonio area and you are not sure whether the last storm got your roof, I will come look — free, with photos of whatever I find, and a straight answer. Call Roy at (210) 800-4875.
Related notes: Should I repair my roof or replace it? · TPO flat roofs: when a patch is not enough
Free on-roof inspection with photos of what I find — and a straight answer on repair or replace.
Call Roy Marin at (210) 800-4875