What hail does to a Front Range roof
Hailstones hit an asphalt roof at speed and crush the granules into the mat beneath. Small hail scuffs; larger hail bruises and fractures. A bruised shingle may not leak right away, but the exposed asphalt bakes in the sun, cracks, and eventually lets water through. Over the following year the damaged areas shed granules into the gutters and the roof ages a decade in a season.
Wood shake roofs split. Metal roofs dent but usually keep working. Flat commercial membranes pit and fracture. Every roof type in Broomfield responds differently, which is why we inspect rather than assume.
The first things to check after a storm
Walk the yard before you call anyone. Look at the gutters and downspouts for dents, the window screens for tears, the AC condenser for flattened fins, and any soft metal like vent caps. Look under the downspouts for piles of shingle granules. If you see several of these, the roof likely took damage too.
Then call a local roofer for a proper inspection. Do not sign anything with a door-knocker on the day of the storm, and do not let anyone on the roof who cannot show you their insurance.
How our hail inspection works
We walk every slope, mark test squares the way an adjuster would, count hits per square, and photograph them with a reference for scale. We check the soft metals, the ridge and hip caps, the pipe boots and the skylights, because hail damage to those is often what tips a marginal roof into a covered claim.
You get a written summary with the photos. If the roof is fine, we tell you. If a few shingles need replacing, we quote a repair. If the damage is widespread, we explain what a claim would likely cover.
Repair or claim?
Not every hailstorm warrants an insurance claim. If only a slope or two took light damage and the roof is otherwise young, a repair paid out of pocket is often the smarter choice, particularly with the size of many Colorado hail deductibles today. If the damage is spread across the roof, a claim is usually the right path and we will help you through it.
The decision is yours. Our job is to give you accurate information about what is up there.
Repairing hail damage properly
Individual damaged shingles can be replaced, and on a newer roof this is a solid fix. We match the shingle as closely as possible, lift the surrounding courses carefully so the seal strips are not torn, and replace any damaged vents or boots at the same time.
When more than a portion of a slope is damaged, replacing the slope or the whole roof becomes the better long-term answer. Patching a widely bruised roof buys time but not much of it.