Documenting roof and exterior hail damage after 3-inch storms

Start with the impact points, not the whole roof

After 3.0-inch hail, the first job is to document where the storm hit hardest, not to walk the property in a broad circle and hope the damage is obvious. The initial notes should capture the roof slopes, gutter runs, vent elevations, and siding faces with the clearest impact pattern. In a storm like this, the exterior often tells the story before the shingles do.

NOAA hail reports in active markets such as Bosque, New Mexico, Dryden, Texas, Choctaw, Oklahoma, and Newalla, Oklahoma, show the kind of hail size that produces concentrated exterior impacts across multiple materials. The field crew should expect punctures, fractured surface granules, bent soft metals, and splash-marked siding at the same property.

The first pass should be fast and specific. Record the facing direction, the material type, the height above grade, and the visible strike pattern. Use photos that show the full component first, then close range detail.

Roof surfaces come first because they hold the strike pattern longest

On roofs, document the most exposed planes before anything else. Hip caps, ridge lines, field shingles on upper slopes, and transitions around dormers usually show the clearest impact pattern after 3-inch hail. South and west slopes often carry the most visible loss where the storm hit with the strongest angle or where wind drove the hail across the plane.

Look for these patterns first:

• Circular granule loss with fresh asphalt exposure
• Soft bruising that follows a random but dense impact field
• Cracked or split shingles near edges and ridges
• Exposed fiberglass mat on older composition roofs
• Knocked-off ridge cap tabs
• Impact marks on pipe boots, attic vents, and turbine bases

Document each slope separately. One roof can have a clean north face and a heavily marked west face. Do not bury that difference in a general note. The slope-by-slope record is what lets an estimator or carrier reviewer see the distribution of impact.

If the roof includes metal accents, note coating fractures, seam dents, and fastener movement. On standing seam panels, hail can leave shallow but clear point dents that are easy to miss from the ground. Use oblique-angle photos when possible.

Gutters and downspouts show the storm direction quickly

Gutters and downspouts are often the fastest way to confirm the direction and intensity of the strike field. After a 3.0-inch hail event, look for denting along front faces, crushed corners, hanger stress, and debris buildup from shingle granules.

Document the following first:

• Front lip dents on the most exposed gutter runs
• Downspout strikes and offset bends
• Seam separation at corners and miters
• Detached elbows or loosening at brackets
• Granule accumulation at splash points below damaged slopes

The key is to tie gutter damage to the roof face above it. If the west-facing slope is heavily marked and the west gutter run is visibly dented, photograph both in sequence. That makes the exterior record coherent. If the damage is uneven, capture the transition points where one section stops and the next begins.

On older aluminum gutters, small hail can leave a broader field of shallow dents. With 3-inch hail, the dents are usually deeper and less uniform. On painted metal, check for chipped coating at impact points. On vinyl or composite components, note cracking at the corners and mounting points.

Vents need close-range photos because the damage is often shallow

Roof vents, attic boxes, static vents, ridge vents, and turbine housings can all take direct hits without a clean break. Document them early because they can look intact from the ground and still show clear impact deformation at close range.

Focus on:

• Dents in vent caps and flashing skirts
• Cracked plastic housings
• Impact marks at ridge vent covers
• Bent turbine blades or warped housings
• Displaced sealant or lifted fasteners

Take a wide photo that shows the vent in relation to the surrounding slope, then a tight photo of the strike surface. If multiple vents sit on one elevation, note which ones face the incoming storm path and which ones are shielded. That distinction often explains why one unit is marked and the next is not.

For attic box vents and other plastic components, check for hidden fractures at corners, seams, and screw points. A hairline crack at one corner is worth documenting even when the rest of the unit looks serviceable. Keep the notes plain. State what is dented, cracked, or displaced.

Siding tells you where the hail and wind crossed the lot

Siding damage is one of the clearest exterior records for a 3.0-inch event, especially on the windward sides and upper wall sections. Document it early before sunlight and shadows make impact marks harder to read.

The first siding patterns to capture are:

• Circular impact bruises or chips in vinyl
• Cracks at lap edges or panel seams
• Split corners near trim and windows
• Dings on fiber cement or metal panels
• Impact marks at hose bibs, light fixtures, and meter surrounds

Start with the faces that received the most direct exposure. Then move to the transition areas around garages, gable ends, and porches. If the storm approached from a clear direction, the exposed wall will usually show a denser pattern than the sheltered wall.

Do not stop at the wall surface. Photograph trim, fascia returns, window wraps, and exterior fixtures in the same frame where possible. Hail often marks the accessory pieces before it leaves a strong pattern on the siding field itself.

Use a component-by-component order on the first walk

A consistent order saves time and keeps the record usable later. For a 3.0-inch hail event, the first walk should move in this sequence:

1. Roof slopes with the highest exposure
2. Ridge, vents, and penetrations
3. Gutters and downspouts on the same elevations
4. Siding on the windward faces
5. Trim, fascia, and accessory fixtures

This order keeps the visual chain intact. The roof impact, the runoff path, and the wall damage should read like one event, not separate notes from separate walks.

If a property has multiple structures, repeat the same order for each building. Detached garages, sheds, and covered entries often show cleaner strike patterns than the main house. Capture them before the weather changes or before cleanup starts.

What to write in the field notes

The best notes are short and concrete. They should help a crew lead, estimator, or adjuster understand what was seen without needing a long explanation.

Use entries like these:

• West slope: dense granular loss, scattered bruising, vent denting
• South gutter run: multiple face dents, one loose corner
• Rear attic vent: cracked housing, impact at upper left seam
• East siding: isolated chips and impact bruising near lower third
• Garage trim: dented aluminum wrap, no visible panel fracture

Add the date, time, weather conditions, and the camera direction for each set of photos. If the storm came through on a tracked NOAA hail day, note the local report reference in the internal file. Keep the public-facing notes plain and focused on the physical evidence.

Do not wait for every component to show obvious loss

After a 3.0-inch hail event, the exterior damage pattern is often uneven. One slope can be marked heavily while the adjacent face shows only scattered hits. One gutter line can be crushed while another is clean. That is normal in a directional hail event.

The job is to document the full pattern while the evidence is fresh. Start with the hardest-hit roof plane, then move outward to gutters, vents, and siding. Capture the transition points. Capture the shielding. Capture the exposed sides.

That sequence gives a clean record of the strike path across the property. It also keeps your crew from missing the smaller but important indicators that later support a repair scope.

Field takeaway

For a 3.0-inch hail event, the first exterior documentation should focus on the most exposed roof slopes, then move to gutters, vents, and siding on the same storm-facing elevations. Record the pattern by component, not by a general property walk. Use photos and notes that tie each mark to a specific surface, direction, and location on the building.

That method keeps the field record tight, usable, and ready for estimate work.