The Inspection Is the Foundation of Everything That Follows
After a hail storm, the roof inspection is not a formality. Its findings determine whether a claim is worth filing, what the scope of that claim should be, and how the repair or replacement project is scoped and priced. A thorough inspection protects your interests through the entire process that follows. Here is what a professional inspection should cover.
Ground-Level Assessment First
Before going on the roof, a thorough inspector reviews the home's ground-level components. Aluminum gutters and downspouts show hail impact clearly — the density and pattern of dents confirms that hail of a specific size reached the property. Air conditioning condenser fins, window screens, and soft metal trim also show impact patterns that support the inspection findings on the roof surface.
On-Roof Assessment
On the roof, the inspector evaluates the following components:
- Field shingles: Impact points are marked and counted per slope to establish a density pattern. A high-density impact pattern across multiple slopes supports a full replacement scope.
- Ridge cap and hip shingles: These elevated components take some of the heaviest hail impacts and are inspected separately.
- Flashing: Metal flashing around chimneys, skylights, and vents dents visibly and may require replacement even if surrounding shingles are not fully compromised.
- Ventilation components: Ridge vents, box vents, and pipe boots are inspected for impact damage and seal integrity.
Documentation You Should Receive
At the conclusion of a professional inspection, you should receive a written or digital report that documents the findings with photographs, identifies the affected areas of the roof by slope, and specifies the recommended scope of work. This report becomes supporting documentation for your insurance claim.
Blue Ribbon Roofing's Inspection Process
Blue Ribbon Roofing conducts detailed post-storm inspections for McKinney homeowners and provides documentation formatted to support insurance claims. We schedule inspections promptly after hail events, when the evidence is freshest and claim filing windows are still open.
