Hail Damage Roof Inspection in Madison Heights MI: What to Look For

Hailstorms in Madison Heights tend to arrive with little warning, roll through in a matter of minutes, then leave months of headaches behind. I have walked more than a few rooftops on John R, 12 Mile, and the side streets in between where a quick spring squall left a peppered field of bruised shingles and mangled gutters. The frustrating part is how often the real damage hides in plain sight. From the driveway, the roof can look fine. Up close, it tells a different story.

This guide focuses on what to look for after hail hits a roof in Madison Heights MI, how to judge the severity, when it’s safe to patch, and when a roof replacement in Madison Heights MI makes more sense. The goal is not to turn you into a roofer, but to help you understand what a roofing contractor in Madison Heights MI looks for, why insurance adjusters mark roofs the way they do, and how to protect the rest of your home, including siding and gutters, from follow-on problems.

Hail in southeast Michigan doesn’t behave the same every time

People tend to think hail is just hail, but two storms can produce very different outcomes. The size and density of the hail, wind speed and direction, and even outdoor temperature all play a role. roofing contractor Madison Heights In Madison Heights, late spring cells can drive pea to nickel-sized hail at a sharp angle, which often scuffs shingle granules on windward slopes while leaving leeward slopes relatively clean. Mid-summer storms sometimes drop larger, softer hail that splats more than it punctures, bruising shingle mats in a way that doesn’t show up until the granules wash out after a few rains.

On three separate inspections last year, I found the worst damage concentrated on the west-facing slopes overlooking Dequindre. The eastern slopes looked decent at first glance. That’s the wind for you. If you only look at one side of your roof in Madison Heights MI, you’ll miss half the story.

Safety and smart prep before you inspect

A full inspection happens on the roof, but not every homeowner should climb up. Asphalt shingles get slick when they shed granules after a storm, and hail can dent metal flashings that you’ll want to examine without putting weight in the wrong place. If you have any doubts, call a roofing company in Madison Heights MI and ask for a post-storm assessment. Reputable firms do this often and will document the roof thoroughly for you.

If you’re comfortable with ladders and basic safety, pick a clear, dry day. Wear shoes with soft rubber soles, avoid stepping on the rakes and hips where damage concentrates, and keep your weight over the rafters near the bottom third of the shingle courses. Bring a chalk stick and a phone camera. The chalk helps outline suspected hail hits for photos, and the photos help later when you talk to your insurer.

What hail does to asphalt shingles, in real terms

Asphalt shingles rely on three parts working together: the mineral granules that protect against UV, the asphalt-saturated mat that waterproofs, and an adhesive strip that bonds courses together. Hail affects each piece differently.

Granule loss is the headliner. When hailstones strike, they knock off granules, especially where the mat flexes over the soft asphalt. You’ll see small, discolored divots that look almost like scuffs the size of a pencil eraser. If those spots expose the black asphalt layer, UV will start to cook it, making the shingle brittle over a season or two. I’ve peeled back shingles in Madison Heights that looked fine from the ground in May, only to find the mat fractured by October because the protective topcoat disappeared after a few heavy rains.

Bruising is the sneaky one. A hailstone can compress the asphalt below the granules without removing much color. Press gently with a thumb and you may feel a soft spot, like a grape under the skin. That bruise is damaged asphalt that will crack as the roof heats and cools. Look for circular areas that feel spongy or give slightly. You won’t always see these, which is why tactile inspection matters.

Cracks and crescent tears show up with larger hail or where shingles were already aged. The impact creates half-moon splits or radiating cracks around the hit. This is high-severity damage because water can travel into the crack and down the shingle mat. Cracks often start where shingles bridge over a raised nail head or at the edge of a laminated shingle layer.

Finally, the seal strip can break. Hail and high wind together lift tabs and snap the adhesive bond that keeps shingles lying flat. Once the strip is compromised, the tab may flutter in wind and crease. A creased shingle usually needs replacement because the crease becomes a leak path and that tab won’t reseal reliably.

A methodical way to inspect the roof surface

Start with the slopes that face the storm’s direction. On most lots in Madison Heights, west and southwest exposures take the brunt. Move methodically in a grid pattern. Choose a shingle course and work left to right, then move up a course and work back. This approach keeps you from stepping on areas you haven’t examined yet and helps you count how many hail impacts occur in a given test square.

Insurance adjusters often use 10 by 10 foot test squares and look for a threshold number of hail hits per slope. The exact threshold varies by carrier and shingle type, but finding 6 to 10 hail bruises or breaks in a single square usually indicates functional damage, not just cosmetic scuffing. Take clear photos of each hit, include a coin for scale, and capture wider shots that show the location on the slope.

Pay attention to shingle edges. Hail can nick the cutouts and corners, which increases the chance of wind uplift later. On laminated architectural shingles, the exposure line can hide fractures between layers. Gently lift the bottom of a tab with a flat finger. If you see a split that runs parallel to the exposure, that’s storm damage, not general wear.

Flashings, vents, and roof accessories tell the truth faster than shingles

If you’re unsure whether the roof took hail, the metal parts won’t lie. Look at furnace caps, goose-neck vents, aluminum ridge vents, and the chimney flashing. Round dimples the size of the hailstone will pepper thin-gauge metal. A handful of evenly spaced dents on a vent cap almost always points to meaningful shingle impacts nearby, even if the shingles still hold their color.

Pipe boots deserve special attention. Many homes in Madison Heights use neoprene collars around plumbing vents. Hail can nick or split that collar, and the damage worsens as UV hits. I have seen minor splits become active leaks within a few months, staining bathroom ceilings. If the boot shows any cracking or impact tears, budget for immediate replacement. These are relatively inexpensive parts that can prevent drywall headaches.

Skylights are another indicator. Acrylic domes may show star cracks around the edges. Glass units often survive, but the metal cladding around them gets dimpled. Check the step flashing along the sides. If the flashing shows impact dents, water can pool where it shouldn’t, which increases the odds of a slow leak.

Don’t forget the gutters and downspouts

Gutters in Madison Heights MI often take direct hits as hail ricochets off the roof’s edge. Look for linear dents along the gutter face. A few small dings are cosmetic, but deep creases can trap water, which leads to overflow at the corners. Run a hand under the hem to feel for sharp impacts that might not be obvious from the ground.

Downspouts tell another story. After a storm, heavy granule wash will settle where downspouts discharge. If you see a sandbar of colored granules at the splash block, that’s a clue that the shingles shed more than normal. A noticeable pile after a single storm is a red flag. Monitor again after the next two rains. If the pile keeps building, the topcoat is compromised and the roof’s remaining life just shrank.

Seam separations at gutter corners are common after hail when coupled with wind. The sealant bead can fracture, leading to leaks that quietly rot soffit and fascia. Touch the inside corners and look for sticky residue pulled apart into strings or hairline openings. Fresh sealant, properly applied, solves this, but if the gutters are heavily dented, replacement saves you from chasing leaks every season.

Siding and windows complete the diagnostic picture

Hailstorms strong enough to bruise shingles usually mark the siding as well. Vinyl siding in Madison Heights MI will show chips, cracks, or oval punctures, especially on the storm-facing elevations. Aluminum siding collects obvious dimples. Fiber cement usually holds up better, though the paint can chip. Keep a written log of what you see on walls, trim, and window screens. Torn screens are more than a nuisance; they also indicate the storm’s vector and intensity.

Window beading and exterior caulk lines can split with high-velocity hail. Look along the top edge where the siding meets the J-channel. Tiny fractures there let water behind the cladding. While this is a roof-focused inspection, the building shell works as a system, and storm patterns rarely damage one component in isolation.

How age and prior condition of the roof changes the analysis

Insurance adjusters look not only at hail impacts but also at the roof’s age and pre-existing wear. A ten-year-old architectural shingle in Madison Heights may have light granule loss on the high points and some thermal cracking. Hail then accelerates failure. Compare two homes I evaluated last summer: one had a five-year-old roof with a dozen bruises per slope. The insurer approved partial slope replacements. Another had a 17-year-old roof with similar bruise counts but also general wear and cupping. That roof qualified for a full roof replacement in Madison Heights MI because hail tipped it from end-of-middle-age to near failure.

If your roof was near the end of its service life before the storm, the hail likely shortened it further. On the other hand, a new roof with limited, isolated damage may be a candidate for repair. The trick lies in distinguishing repairable impact points from widespread functional damage that will keep surfacing new leaks over time.

Repair versus replacement: the trade-offs that matter

Spot repairs make sense when the damage is localized and the shingles are young enough to handle a lift-and-replace without tearing. A skilled roofing contractor in Madison Heights MI can swap individual shingles, reseal broken tabs, and replace a handful of accessories. The cost is manageable, and the color match from spare bundles may still be reasonable on a newer install.

Replacement comes into play when hail strikes are frequent across multiple test squares, especially when combined with bruising and broken seal strips. Even if not every hit leaks today, the cumulative damage accelerates UV degradation and wind vulnerability. Think of it like a windshield sandblasted by tiny stones. It might not crack immediately, but clarity gets worse and one cold snap can spider-web the whole pane.

Economically, it also depends on insurance. If you carry replacement cost coverage and the adjuster documents enough damage, a full roof can make more sense than years of nickel-and-dime repairs. Keep in mind that code updates or ventilation improvements may be required on replacement. In several Madison Heights projects, we upgraded from outdated box vents to a continuous ridge vent and added soffit intake. The roof lasts longer and handles ice better, especially near the eaves along garages that tend to run colder.

What professional inspectors mark that homeowners often miss

I’ve reviewed many homeowner photo sets after storms. They usually show the obvious hits and the big dents in vents. Here are the areas professionals pore over more carefully:

Rake edges and starter strips, where hail impinges at an angle that can fracture the edge of the shingle and compromise wind resistance. Valley shingles and valley metal, because hail concentrates where water flows. A bruised valley can become a chronic leak that shows up as a ceiling stain far from the valley line. Step flashing at sidewalls, particularly along dormers. Impact dents can distort the kick-out flashing at the bottom, which redirects water behind the siding if it no longer throws runoff cleanly. High nails and previous repair patches, since shingles stretched over a raised point are more prone to cracking on impact. Laminate bond lines on architectural shingles. Separate layers can split invisibly from above, but a gentle lift at the tab edge reveals fractures between plies.

Those points often turn a “maybe repair” into “replace the slope” because they affect water-shedding geometry and wind performance, not just surface appearance.

Timing matters, especially before freeze cycles and fall rains

If your roof took hail in late spring or summer, you have a window to act before fall storms and freeze-thaw cycles compound the damage. Water finds bruises, then cold nights turn minor fissures into cracks. Once winter arrives, crews can still replace a roof in Madison Heights MI, but adhesive strips may not bond as well in cold temperatures and daylight is short. If you suspect damage, get it inspected and documented within a few weeks of the storm, not months.

Also consider your gutter and attic ventilation as part of the plan. Damaged gutters in Madison Heights MI that sag or leak will dump water against your foundation and contribute to ice formation at the eaves. Good intake and exhaust ventilation keeps the underside of the roof deck close to ambient, lowering the chance of ice dams that exploit hail-stressed shingles.

Working with insurance without losing your mind

Documentation wins. The best claim files I’ve seen include date-stamped photos, clear slope labels, and a simple map of the roof that shows where each photo was taken. Keep a short log of the storm: hail size as best you can estimate, direction of wind, and how long the hail lasted. If neighbors have verified damage, note that too, especially if they share the same shingle model and install year.

Invite your roofing company in Madison Heights MI to meet the adjuster on site. A seasoned inspector speaks the same language and can point out functional damage that is easy to overlook. That collaboration often makes the difference between partial and full approvals. If the insurer approves replacement, ask the contractor about shingle availability and lead times. Certain colors and profiles can run short during regional storm seasons.

Matching shingles and maintaining curb appeal

Repairs can look obvious if the roof is older and the original shingle color has faded. Architectural shingles do a better job blending because their texture and varied tones hide slight differences. Three-tab roofs are harder to blend. If you only replace a slope, ask your roofing contractor to feather the repair area into the ridge or a valley to minimize contrast lines. Matching is part art, part inventory luck. A good contractor will pull a couple of bundles and compare on-site before committing.

If the roof is due for replacement, consider the neighborhood aesthetic and the home’s siding in Madison Heights MI. Warmer shingle tones complement tan or cream vinyl and brick, while cooler charcoals pair well with gray siding and modern trim. Also look at algae resistance. Many shingles now include copper or zinc granules to resist staining, which keeps your roof looking clean longer in the tree-lined streets east of Campbell.

The role of underlayment, decking, and ventilation

A hail-focused inspection inevitably leads to a deeper look at what lives under the shingles. When roofs come off, we sometimes find OSB decking swollen at old leak points, especially near bathroom vent penetrations. Madison Heights homes built from the 1960s through the 1990s often have a mix of plank and sheet decking. If hail accelerated leaks, replacing a few sheets while the roof is open is straightforward and smart.

Underlayment matters. A modern synthetic underlayment lays flatter and resists tearing if future impacts occur. Along eaves, make sure an ice and water shield covers at least the code-required distance up the roof plane, which in our climate usually means a minimum of 24 inches inside the warm wall. Valleys and penetrations should also get ice and water shield as a secondary barrier. When you’re already investing in new shingles, these details add decades of performance.

Ventilation ties it together. Aim for balanced intake and exhaust, with clear soffit vents feeding a ridge vent or high-profile box vents. A well-ventilated attic keeps deck temperatures stable. Stable decks move less, which reduces stress on shingle bonds already weakened by hail.

When your roof looks fine but your interior doesn’t

Sometimes the first sign of hail damage shows up as a faint ceiling stain that grows after the next two rains. This is common around pipe boots and valleys. Trace the stain’s centerline back toward the nearest roof feature. In one Madison Heights bungalow, a small closet stain traced back to a pipe boot that looked intact from above, but the collar had split under the shingle course. Water followed the pipe down and only showed itself where drywall seams met.

If you find a new stain after hail, don’t assume the leak is big. Small, consistent drips can do more damage than dramatic one-time intrusions. Cut a small inspection port near the stain to check insulation for saturation and to allow drying. Replace compromised insulation after the roof repair, not before, so the moisture source is gone.

Choosing the right roofing contractor for hail work

Hail claims draw in contractors from outside the area. Some are excellent. Some are here for a season. Look for a roofing contractor in Madison Heights MI with a physical presence or long-standing local references. Ask to see past hail-related jobs in the city or nearby. Make sure they are comfortable documenting for insurers and that they can handle related work like gutters and minor siding repairs. Coordinating those trades saves time and avoids finger pointing.

Expect a clear scope of work. On replacement, it should list tear-off, underlayment type, ice and water coverage, flashing replacement, ventilation changes, and cleanup procedures. On repairs, it should specify the count and location of shingles replaced, accessories swapped, and sealant details. Warranties should distinguish between manufacturer coverage and workmanship. Read both.

A practical homeowner checklist for post-hail steps

Walk the property and photograph gutters, downspouts, siding, and yard granules the day after the storm, then again after the next rain. Schedule a roof inspection with a roofing company in Madison Heights MI and request a documented assessment with marked photos and slope maps. Notify your insurer within the claim window, provide the photo log, and coordinate a joint inspection with your contractor present. Stabilize vulnerable points immediately: replace torn pipe boots, reseal open gutter seams, and cover cracked skylight domes. Decide on repair versus replacement using damage density, roof age, insurance coverage, and matching considerations as your guide.

How gutters and siding factor into the overall repair plan

It’s tempting to treat roof, gutters, and siding as separate jobs. After hail, they are linked. New shingles with battered gutters still overflow at the corners, and water will rot fascia behind the paint. If your gutters in Madison Heights MI show significant creasing, budget for replacement. Consider larger downspouts if you have a heavy tree canopy, which reduces overflow during the intense summer bursts we get.

For siding Madison Heights MI homeowners with vinyl panels, matching can be tricky when only one elevation is damaged. Manufacturers cycle colors, and sun fade changes tone over time. A good contractor can pull pieces from a less visible wall to repair the front, then use a near-match on the hidden elevation. Plan the sequence so the roof tear-off doesn’t dump debris onto freshly replaced siding and gutters.

Real-world examples from Madison Heights streets

A ranch near 11 Mile and Stephenson had a seven-year-old architectural roof. After a June storm with quarter-size hail, the west slope showed 12 to 15 clear bruises per test square, a handful of cracked tabs, and heavily dented turtle vents. Gutters on the same side were creased and one downspout seam separated. The insurer approved replacement of the west and south slopes, new vents, and gutter sections. The contractor matched shingle color well enough that from the street, the transition is invisible. Two years later, no issues.

Another case on a two-story near John R had a fifteen-year-old roof with moderate granule loss pre-storm. Hail was smaller, nickel size, but the seal strips broke across multiple courses. Tabs lifted and creased over the next few windy weeks. Gutters were dotted but still functional. The insurer approved a full roof replacement in Madison Heights MI based on widespread functional damage. The owner opted to add a ridge vent and upgrade pipe boots. Ice dams that had plagued the north eave stopped the following winter, a bonus beyond hail repair.

Final thoughts that help you act with confidence

Hail damage blends the visible and the delayed. The dent in a vent is easy to see, the bruise that becomes a leak in October is not. A careful roof inspection, slope by slope, tells you which problem you have. Combine that with a look at gutters, downspouts, siding, and interior ceilings, and you’ll have a complete picture of the home’s shell.

Choose a roofing Madison Heights MI professional who documents like an adjuster, explains like a neighbor, and plans the work as a system. Whether you end up with focused repairs or a full roof replacement, the right sequence and details matter: underlayment where ice forms, flashing where water turns, ventilation where heat collects, and gutters where the storm finally leaves the roof. Do those pieces well and the next time hail rattles the windows, you’ll worry less about what it’s doing overhead.