Hail Damage: Find It Before It Finds You
Hail is the sneakiest kind of storm damage an Ohio Valley roof takes. A hard hail hit bruises the shingle mat and knocks granules loose — damage you cannot see from the driveway and that may not leak for months, sometimes years. By the time water shows up on a ceiling, the shingles have been quietly failing every season since the storm. Well Krafted Roofing is a family-owned crew based in New Albany, and we have inspected hail-hit roofs across Floyd, Clark, and Harrison County and throughout Louisville. We get on the roof, run test squares the way an adjuster would, photograph what we find, and tell you the truth: real damage, cosmetic damage, or no damage at all. No scare tactics, no pressure — just documentation you can hold in your hands and a straight answer about what your roof needs.
A Hail Inspection Done Right
Test-Square Inspections
We inspect the way adjusters do: marked test squares on each roof slope, counting genuine hail hits — not vague hand-waving at "damage up there."
Photo Documentation
Every bruise, crack, and granule void gets photographed up close, on the roof, with context shots so you can see exactly what we saw.
An Honest Verdict
If your roof took real hail damage, we will show you the proof. If it did not, we will tell you that too — and you keep our photos either way.
Full Exterior Check
Hail rarely hits only shingles. We check gutters, downspouts, vents, flashing, window screens, and siding — the soft metals that confirm a hail event.
Adjuster Meetings
When you file a claim, we can meet your insurance adjuster on the roof and walk the same slopes together, so nothing gets missed or misread.
Local Family Crew
We live and work in Kentuckiana. When the storm chasers pack up and leave town, we are still here to stand behind the work.
Quiet Damage, Loud Consequences
When hail strikes an asphalt shingle, the impact fractures the fiberglass mat beneath the surface and scatters the protective granules. What is left is a soft bruise or a bare spot of exposed asphalt — and exposed asphalt is exactly what shingles are built to prevent. Sun and freeze-thaw cycles go to work on that bare spot, the shingle ages years in a single season, and the roof fails long before it should. Hail also cracks brittle shingles outright and dents the soft metals — vents, flashing, gutters — that often serve as the clearest proof a hail event actually happened. Hail frequently travels with straight-line winds, so we check for wind damage like creased and lifted shingles on the same visit.
After a big hail event, you will also see the other kind of storm aftermath: out-of-town crews canvassing neighborhoods with free inspections and same-day contracts. Some do fine work. But a canvasser who is gone by winter has different incentives than a local family company you can call in five years. We would rather you compare us to anyone — ask for photos of your actual roof, ask where the company will be next year, and take your time. Homeowners from Jeffersonville to Corydon call us precisely because we are still here after the storm season ends.
One more thing worth knowing: insurance policies have filing windows for storm claims, and those windows vary by insurer and by state. That is why we tell people to get an inspection soon after a hail storm even if nothing looks wrong — if there is damage, you want it documented while the timeline is on your side. If a claim makes sense, our insurance claim documentation gives you and your adjuster a clear, photographed record to work from. And if it does not make sense, we will say so plainly and you have lost nothing but an hour.
Schedule a Hail InspectionSigns Hail Hit Your Roof
- Dents in gutters, downspouts, or gutter guards
- Dings on roof vents, flashing, or skylight trim
- Granules piling up in gutters or at downspout exits
- Dark spots or bruises visible on shingles
- Torn window screens or dented siding
- Dents in AC unit fins or mailboxes
- Neighbors getting roof inspections after the storm
Hail came through recently? Call 502-208-7089 and get it documented.
Our Hail Inspection Process
Call After the Storm
Hail came through? Call or request an inspection online. We schedule promptly — hail damage is easiest to document while the evidence is fresh.
Roof-Level Inspection
We get on the roof, run test squares on each slope, check the soft metals, and photograph everything we find — or confirm there is nothing to find.
Straight Recommendation
We walk you through the photos and tell you plainly: no damage, repairable damage, or damage that reasonably supports an insurance claim.
Repair or Replace It Right
Whether it is a targeted repair or a full replacement with GAF materials, we do the work ourselves and back it with our workmanship guarantee.
Hail Damage FAQs
What does hail damage actually look like on a shingle roof?
The classic mark is a bruise: a dark, soft spot where the impact knocked granules loose and fractured the fiberglass mat underneath. You may also see circular granule voids exposing black asphalt, cracked shingles, and dents in gutters, vents, and flashing. Most of it is subtle — nothing like the crater people expect.
Can I see hail damage from the ground?
Usually not. Bruised mats and granule loss are hard to spot even standing on the roof if you do not know what to look for. From the driveway they are invisible. Dented gutters, downspouts, and window screens are the ground-level clues that the roof above them probably took hits too.
My roof is not leaking. Is hail damage still a problem?
It can be. A bruised shingle often will not leak for months or even years — but the fractured mat and exposed asphalt age fast under sun and freeze-thaw cycles, and the shingle fails early. That is why we recommend an inspection after a significant hail event even when everything looks fine from below.
How big does hail need to be to damage a roof?
There is no single threshold. Hail around an inch in diameter commonly damages asphalt shingles, but smaller stones can hurt older or already-worn roofs, and wind speed, hail density, and shingle condition all matter. The honest answer is that only a roof-level inspection tells you what your specific roof took.
What is a test square?
A test square is a marked 10-foot-by-10-foot section of a roof slope, inspected closely for hail hits. It is the standard method insurance adjusters use to judge whether damage is widespread enough to warrant repair or replacement. We use the same method, so our documentation speaks the same language your adjuster uses.
Should I trust the crews knocking on doors after a hail storm?
Be careful. After a big hail event, out-of-town canvassers often blanket neighborhoods offering free inspections. Some are legitimate; some create urgency to sign before you have compared options. Ask any inspector for photos of your specific roof, check that they are established locally, and never feel pressured to sign anything on the spot.
Does hail damage always justify an insurance claim?
No — and an honest contractor will say so. Light cosmetic damage on a roof that is otherwise sound may not be worth a claim. When damage is real and widespread, we document it thoroughly so you can decide, with your insurer, whether to file. The decision is always yours, and the claim decision is theirs.
How long do I have to file a hail claim?
It varies. Policies set their own filing windows, and they differ by insurer and by state — some allow a year or more, others less. Check your policy or ask your agent for your specific deadline. The practical takeaway: get the roof inspected soon after a storm so the clock never becomes the problem.
Will you meet my insurance adjuster?
Yes. If you file a claim, we can be on site when your adjuster inspects, walk the roof together, and point out the documented damage square by square. We are not public adjusters and we do not negotiate your claim — but we make sure the physical evidence on your roof is fully seen and clearly documented.
Hail Came Through? Get the Truth About Your Roof.
Serving New Albany, Louisville, and all of Kentuckiana. Call 502-208-7089 or fill out the form above — we will get you on the schedule and tell you exactly what we find.