How long should a hail-damage roof inspection take?

45–90 minutes for a typical residential roof, depending on size and complexity. Multi-story or steep-pitch roofs take longer. If your inspector is up and down in 15 minutes, they probably didn't inspect anything.

Do I have to be present during the inspection?

It's recommended. You can ask questions, see what they're seeing, and verify they're being thorough. Most reputable inspectors prefer it because it builds trust and shortens the sales cycle.

What does a real free roof inspection actually cost?

Nothing to you. The roofer absorbs the time as a customer-acquisition cost — they expect that 25–35% of inspections turn into work. If a roofer asks for any payment for the inspection itself before doing work, walk away.

How soon after a hailstorm should I get a roof inspected?

Within 6 months ideally. Most Missouri policies have a 12-month claim filing window, but adjusters get more skeptical the longer you wait. If your roof was hit in April 2026, get the inspection done by October 2026 to keep the claim path clean.

Can I inspect my own roof?

You can do a ground-level visual check (binoculars work) and a gutter check (granules in the gutters = shingle damage above). Don't go on the roof yourself unless you're trained — it's the second-leading cause of homeowner injury after ladder falls. Get a free professional inspection instead.

What if the inspector finds damage but my insurance denies the claim?

Get a second inspection. Insurance carriers occasionally deny legitimate hail claims, especially when the first inspection wasn't well-documented. A reinspection with detailed photos and a public adjuster's review usually resolves the dispute.

Hail damage · Inspections

Hail damage roof inspection: what a real inspector actually checks

Most hail damage doesn't show from the ground. A real hail-damage roof inspection takes 45–90 minutes and covers 7 specific areas of the roof. Here's exactly what an inspector should be checking, what they should be photographing, and what to ask for in the written report.

The short answer

A real hail-damage inspection covers 7 areas: shingle field, ridges, valleys, vents, flashings, gutters/downspouts, and the soft metals (chimney caps, A/C condenser fins).
70% of hail damage is invisible from the ground — granule loss and bruising under the shingle surface that only shows on close inspection.
The inspection should take 45–90 minutes and produce a written report with photos of every section, even the undamaged ones.
If the inspector is on and off your roof in 15 minutes with no photos, they didn't actually inspect — they were either confirming a sales pretext or looking for nothing.

Why most hail damage hides from the ground

Asphalt shingles are designed to take impact. When hail hits, it doesn't usually punch through — it bruises. The hailstone crushes the protective granule layer in a roughly circular pattern (1/4" to 1" wide depending on hail size), exposing the asphalt mat underneath. From 30 feet away on the lawn, the shingle still looks fine. Up close on the roof, you can see the bruise, feel the soft spot, and find the missing granules in the gutter.

This is why driveway-level inspections miss most damage. NOAA data on the April 28, 2026 Springfield storm: hail sizes ranged from 2.5" (Battlefield) to 4.75" (Springfield central). At those sizes, virtually every asphalt-shingle roof in the impact zone has at least minor bruising. Many have severe bruising that won't fail this year — but will fail in 3–5 years instead of the shingle's full lifespan.

Insurance carriers know this. A real inspection documents the bruising specifically because that's what triggers the claim coverage. Without the photos, the adjuster has no basis to approve.

The 7 areas a real inspector covers

**1. Shingle field.** The largest area of the roof. The inspector walks the slopes systematically, marking every bruise with chalk and photographing the pattern density. A real report shows the bruising distribution — random, directional, or concentrated — because that determines whether it's true hail damage vs. mechanical wear.

**2. Ridges and hips.** The peaks where two slopes meet. Hail hits ridges from multiple angles, so damage clusters here. Ridge caps are also the first to show granule loss because of the increased exposure. A real inspector counts compromised ridge caps individually.

**3. Valleys.** Where two slopes meet inward. Valleys catch debris and hold moisture longer; hail damage in valleys often becomes leaks within 18 months. Inspector should photograph each valley separately.

**4. Vents and pipe boots.** Plumbing vents, attic vents, and exhaust caps are softer metal than the surrounding roof. Hail dings them visibly. A vent that's been hit hard has a dent on top — easy to photograph, hard to miss.

**5. Flashings.** The metal seals around chimneys, skylights, and where the roof meets walls. Hail can crack the sealant and dent the metal. Damage here causes leaks even when the surrounding shingles look fine.

**6. Gutters and downspouts.** Hail dents on aluminum gutters are unmistakable visual evidence. The inspector should photograph the dents AND check the gutter contents — large amounts of granules in the gutter mean significant shingle granule loss above.

**7. Soft metals at ground level.** Chimney caps, A/C condenser fins, mailboxes, garage door panels, gutters' downspout outlets. These bend and dent visibly even when the roof itself is hard to assess. Insurance adjusters look at soft metals as confirmation that the storm produced ground-level impact damage.

What the written report should contain

**Photos of all 7 areas.** Even the undamaged ones. The negative documentation matters because it shows the inspector actually looked.

**Date of damage if known.** For Missouri's April 28, 2026 hail event, this is the file-able date for an insurance claim.

**Hail size at the property if known.** From NOAA storm reports or radar reconstructions. This is the easiest way to validate the damage age.

**Per-area damage assessment.** Not just 'roof is damaged' — quantified: how many bruised shingles, how many compromised ridge caps, how many dented vents.

**Repair vs. replace recommendation.** With reasoning. A compromised shingle field with random bruising at 15%+ density usually triggers a full replacement under insurance. Localized damage might be repair-only.

**Inspector's name, license number, and BBB rating.** A report with no inspector identity is a report you can't verify or follow up on.

How to know your inspector is actually inspecting

**They take 45+ minutes.** A real inspection of a typical residential roof can't be done in 10. If they're back on the ground in 15 minutes, they either skipped the slopes (too dangerous, too lazy, too rushed) or weren't looking for anything specific.

**They photograph as they go.** Not just one or two photos — usually 30–60 across the inspection. They should be willing to walk you through the photos before they leave.

**They explain what they found in plain language.** Not 'lots of damage, you need a new roof' — but 'I counted 23 bruised shingles on the south slope, dents on the chimney cap, and significant granule loss in the gutters. Here are the photos.'

**They don't pressure you to decide on the spot.** A real inspector gives you the report and the estimate, then leaves. They tell you to call when you've decided. They don't ask for a deposit.

**They give you the report whether or not you hire them.** If the only way to get the inspection report is to sign a contract for the work, that's a sales pretext, not an inspection.

Free roof check · 90 seconds

Want a vetted, Missouri-licensed roofer to check your roof — for free?

We send you their name, license number, and BBB rating before they show up. No AOB. We never touch your insurance claim. Springfield, Willard, Republic, Battlefield.

Get my free roof check →

Frequently asked

How long should a hail-damage roof inspection take?: 45–90 minutes for a typical residential roof, depending on size and complexity. Multi-story or steep-pitch roofs take longer. If your inspector is up and down in 15 minutes, they probably didn't inspect anything.
Do I have to be present during the inspection?: It's recommended. You can ask questions, see what they're seeing, and verify they're being thorough. Most reputable inspectors prefer it because it builds trust and shortens the sales cycle.
What does a real free roof inspection actually cost?: Nothing to you. The roofer absorbs the time as a customer-acquisition cost — they expect that 25–35% of inspections turn into work. If a roofer asks for any payment for the inspection itself before doing work, walk away.
How soon after a hailstorm should I get a roof inspected?: Within 6 months ideally. Most Missouri policies have a 12-month claim filing window, but adjusters get more skeptical the longer you wait. If your roof was hit in April 2026, get the inspection done by October 2026 to keep the claim path clean.
Can I inspect my own roof?: You can do a ground-level visual check (binoculars work) and a gutter check (granules in the gutters = shingle damage above). Don't go on the roof yourself unless you're trained — it's the second-leading cause of homeowner injury after ladder falls. Get a free professional inspection instead.
What if the inspector finds damage but my insurance denies the claim?: Get a second inspection. Insurance carriers occasionally deny legitimate hail claims, especially when the first inspection wasn't well-documented. A reinspection with detailed photos and a public adjuster's review usually resolves the dispute.

Keep reading