Roof Storm Damage Assessment: What to Check and What to Do Next

You just watched a nasty storm roll through the Twin Cities. The wind was howling, hail was pounding your roof, and now you're standing in your yard wondering: did my roof just take a hit? That's the exact moment a roof storm damage assessment becomes the most important thing on your to-do list.

Here's the thing most homeowners don't realize — storm damage isn't always obvious from the ground. You might not see missing shingles or dented flashing from your driveway. But that doesn't mean your roof came through clean. After 20+ years in construction, we've seen roofs that looked fine from below but had thousands of dollars in hidden damage once we got up there with a drone.

This guide walks you through exactly what to check, when to call a professional, and how to work with your insurance company so you don't leave money on the table.

A roof storm damage assessment is a systematic inspection of your roof, gutters, siding, and exterior components after severe weather. The goal is to identify every area of damage — visible and hidden — so you have a complete picture before filing an insurance claim or scheduling repairs.

This isn't a quick glance from the curb. A proper assessment includes checking the roof surface for hail strikes, inspecting flashing and penetrations, examining gutters and downspouts for dents, and looking at siding, windows, and other exterior components that may have taken a hit during the same storm.

In Minnesota, the most common storm damage comes from three sources: hail , straight-line winds , and falling debris (tree limbs, ice). Each type leaves different evidence, and a trained eye knows exactly what to look for.

Important safety note: Do not climb on your roof. Wet, damaged roofs are dangerous, and walking on damaged shingles can make things worse. Everything below can be done safely from ground level.

Start by walking the perimeter of your home. Look up at the roof edges — do you see any shingles that are curled, cracked, or completely missing? Check the gutters and downspouts for dents. Hail that hits your roof hits your gutters too, and dented gutters are one of the easiest ground-level indicators of roof damage.

Next, check for granule loss. After a hailstorm, look at your downspout discharge areas. If you see piles of dark, sand-like granules washing out, that's shingle surface material that got knocked loose by hail impact. Some granule loss is normal over time, but a sudden surge after a storm is a red flag.

Look at other exterior surfaces for comparison. Check your AC unit, mailbox, deck railings, and car. If those surfaces show dents or dings, your roof almost certainly took similar hits. These are called "collateral damage indicators," and insurance adjusters look for them too.

Finally, check your attic. If you have attic access, go up with a flashlight and look for any new daylight coming through, water stains on the decking, or damp insulation. These are signs of active leaks that need immediate attention.

A professional roof storm damage assessment goes far beyond what you can see from the ground. At Modern Exterior Systems, we use drone-powered inspections with AI analysis to capture every square foot of your roof in high-resolution detail. This means we can identify hail strikes, cracked shingles, and compromised flashing that would be invisible from ground level.

Here's what a thorough professional inspection covers:

Hail damage indicators: Hail doesn't just dent shingles — it bruises them. A hail strike displaces the protective granule layer and fractures the fiberglass mat underneath. The shingle might look like it just has a dark spot, but structurally it's compromised and will deteriorate much faster than the surrounding material. Professionals test for "soft spots" by pressing on suspected impact areas.

Wind damage patterns: High winds create a characteristic pattern — damage is typically worst along edges, ridges, and corners where wind uplift is strongest. Lifted shingles may reseal and look fine afterward, but the sealant strip is broken and those shingles will blow off in the next storm. We check for creased shingles, broken seals, and lifted tabs across the entire roof surface.

Flashing and penetration points: Every vent pipe, chimney, skylight, and valley on your roof is a potential failure point after a storm. Wind-driven rain can exploit even tiny gaps, and hail can crack the caulking and boot seals around penetrations. These are the spots that cause slow leaks — the kind that damage your decking and insulation for months before you notice a water stain on your ceiling.

Gutter and fascia damage: Bent gutters don't just look bad — they create drainage problems that lead to fascia rot and ice dams. A full assessment includes checking gutter pitch, downspout connections, and fascia board condition.

Most reputable roofing contractors, including Modern Exterior Systems, provide storm damage assessments at no cost . This is standard practice in the industry because if damage is found, the repair or replacement work typically covers the inspection cost.

Be cautious of any company that charges a large upfront fee for a storm inspection — and be equally cautious of anyone who shows up uninvited at your door after a storm. Legitimate contractors don't need to chase storms. We've been in Minnetonka since 20005 and we'll still be here next year.

If your assessment reveals damage, the next step is filing a homeowner's insurance claim. Here's the process, simplified:

Step 1: Document everything. Before you touch anything, take photos and video from every angle. Your contractor's inspection report (including drone imagery) serves as your primary documentation.

Step 2: File promptly. Most Minnesota insurance policies require you to file within one year of the storm date, but sooner is always better. Call your insurance company and open a claim.

Step 3: Meet with the adjuster. Your insurance company will send an adjuster to inspect the damage. Have your contractor present for this meeting. This is critical. Your contractor knows exactly where the damage is and can walk the adjuster through it. Without a contractor there, damage frequently gets missed or undervalued.

Step 4: Review the scope. The adjuster will produce a scope of work and a dollar amount. Your contractor should review this to make sure everything was captured. If items were missed, a supplement can be filed.

Step 5: Choose your contractor and schedule work. You are never obligated to use a specific contractor. Choose someone licensed, insured, and local to your area.

This matters because insurance claims are categorized by damage type, and the repair approach differs.

Hail damage is random. Impacts are scattered across the roof without a pattern. You'll see circular dents on soft metals (gutters, vents, flashing) and dark bruise marks on shingles where granules were knocked off. Hail damage often qualifies for a full roof replacement if enough impacts are found per test square (a 10×10 foot area).

Wind damage follows a pattern. You'll see it concentrated on the windward side of the roof, along ridges, and at edges. Missing shingles, lifted tabs, and creased shingles are the telltale signs. Wind damage typically results in a partial repair rather than full replacement unless the damage is extensive.

Many storms produce both hail and wind damage simultaneously. A thorough assessment documents each type separately so your insurance claim accurately reflects the full scope.

The short answer: don't wait. In Minnesota, most homeowner's insurance policies give you up to one year to file a storm damage claim. But here's why waiting is a bad idea:

First, secondary damage accumulates. A compromised shingle lets water in slowly. Over weeks and months, that moisture damages your roof decking, insulation, and eventually your ceilings and walls. What started as a $12,000 roof claim can turn into a $25,000 claim that includes interior damage — and your insurance company may argue the secondary damage was caused by failure to mitigate.

Second, evidence degrades. Hail bruises on shingles become harder to identify as they weather. Granule displacement from hail gets confused with normal aging. The sooner you document the damage, the cleaner your claim.

Our recommendation: get an inspection within two weeks of any significant storm event.

Once the assessment is complete, you'll receive a detailed report showing exactly what was found. At Modern Exterior Systems, our reports include drone photography with damage annotations, so you can see exactly what we're seeing — no guesswork.

If damage is found, we'll walk you through your options: repair vs. replacement, insurance claim process, material choices, and timeline. If no damage is found, we'll tell you that too. We'd rather give you peace of mind than sell you something you don't need.

If you're in the Twin Cities metro and your home just took a hit, call us at (952) 206-6339 or use the form on this page to schedule a free storm damage assessment. We'll get a drone up there and give you the full picture.