Hail and wind damage to roofs: how to spot it and how to build a tougher roof

Updated November 10, 2026 · KeystoneProGuide editorial team

Can hail damage a roof in southeastern Pennsylvania?

Yes. The Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS), a research organization, says hail can occur in any strong thunderstorm, which makes it a threat everywhere, and that damage to a roof covering can shorten its life and may mean repair or replacement. It calls hail one of the most damaging threats to homes.

Summer is the wettest season locally. At the National Weather Service's Philadelphia station, normal monthly rainfall is highest from June through September, and the Pennsylvania Insurance Department says the summer severe-weather season is when contractor fraud is most prevalent.

How do you tell hail damage from ordinary wear?

IBHS sets out a sequence, and the order matters.

Confirm hail actually fell. Look for spatter marks or dents on things around the house: the air conditioning unit, gutters, downspouts, metal flashing, even patio furniture. That collateral damage separates a hailstorm from normal aging.
Rule out the look-alikes. IBHS says granule loss along the edges of shingles is normal weathering, and that uniform wear or discoloration, manufacturer defects, marks from installation, tools or foot traffic, and granules washed off by heavy rain are not hail damage either.
Then look for the real signs. A random pattern of impact marks on the shingles, bruises that feel soft when pressed, and cracks or breaks where stones struck. IBHS says ridge caps on asphalt roofs are especially vulnerable.

That order protects you from two mistakes: missing damage that will shorten the roof's life, and paying to replace a roof that is simply old. Look from the ground or a ladder; the roofing trade association, NRCA, says to stay off the roof if possible.

What does wind damage look like, and why does it happen?

Wind tends to work from the edges. FORTIFIED, the home-strengthening standard run by IBHS, says roof damage often begins when wind gets underneath the roof edge and starts ripping it away. Once the covering is gone, the wood deck beneath is exposed, and IBHS testing found that for every inch of rain on an exposed deck, the equivalent of nine bathtubs of water can pour into a house.

Shingles installed in cold weather are a particular risk. The National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), the trade's association, says self-sealing strips may not bond properly in the cold and recommends hand-tabbing, dabs of adhesive under the shingles, in areas prone to high winds until warmer weather lets the strips set.

Trees are the other wind hazard. The Pennsylvania Insurance Department advises trimming branches before storm season and warns that insurers may deny claims for damage caused by negligence, such as dead or overhanging limbs that were left in place.

What should you do after hail or wind damage?

IBHS's advice is to call your insurance agent first to report it, make temporary repairs such as tarping exposed areas to keep water out, and then hire a reputable roofer: one with a local address, after several estimates, with no giving in to high-pressure sales tactics. It also says to avoid unsolicited offers to inspect or repair your roof. The insurance claims guide covers the claim step by step.

How do you make a replacement roof more resistant to hail?

Choose the shingle on test results, not on the label. IBHS says that not all "impact-resistant" asphalt shingles perform the same when hail strikes. It buys shingles at retail and tests them with impacts designed to mimic real hail, then rates them on dents, tears, granule loss and overall performance, and publishes the ratings by product.

Its recommendation for a homeowner replacing a roof is to choose shingles rated "Good" or "Excellent" in those ratings, which it says have been tested to the UL 2218 or FM 4473 hail-resistance standards. For its optional hail supplement to the FORTIFIED standard, metal panels and low-slope systems must meet UL 2218 Class 4 and tile must meet FM 4473 Class 4.

And to wind?

FORTIFIED's roof standard lists the upgrades, and IBHS's own testing is behind each.

Stronger edges. A wider drip edge and a fully adhered starter strip, used together, to stop wind getting under the edge.
Better deck attachment. IBHS testing showed that switching from common smooth nails to 8D ring-shank nails, with closer spacing, can double the uplift a roof deck can withstand.
A sealed roof deck. Sealing the seams of the deck, IBHS says, can cut the water that gets in through an exposed deck by up to 95% if the covering blows off.
Wind-rated covers. For asphalt shingles, the highest wind ratings, ASTM D3161 Class F or ASTM D7158 Class H.
Wind- and rain-resistant attic vents, because high winds can pull ordinary vents loose or drive rain through them.

The building code sets a floor beneath all this: asphalt shingles must be fastened to a solidly sheathed deck, and existing flashings and vents that are damaged must be replaced in a reroof. FORTIFIED goes beyond the code, and IBHS says the program works with nearly any roof cover, including metal, tile and low-slope roofs. NRCA, for its part, describes metal shingles as relatively lightweight with a greater resistance to adverse weather.

Is it worth asking a roofer about these features?

If you are replacing the roof anyway, yes. Ask which hail rating the proposed shingle has in the IBHS ratings, whether the nailing pattern and deck sealing follow the FORTIFIED standard, and whether the price includes them. Signs your roof needs work helps you judge damage before you call, and roofers serving the region are on the roofers directory page.

Sources

Is It Hail Damage?, Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS)
Hail Impact-Resistant Shingle Ratings, Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS)
FORTIFIED Roof, FORTIFIED (a program of IBHS)
Resources (frequently asked questions), National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA)
Chapter 9 Roof Assemblies, 2021 International Residential Code, International Code Council
Natural Disaster Insurance Guide, Pennsylvania Insurance Department
Climate Normals for KPHL, National Weather Service
Shapiro Administration Reminds Pennsylvanians to be Mindful of Contractor Scams Following Major Summer Storms, Pennsylvania Insurance Department
Roofing Materials, National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA)