Even though it can seem as if hail damage to your roof would be hard to miss, there are some subtle signs that can often be overlooked or attributed to other problems, especially if your experience with hail damage is limited. For example, hail damage to the roof can often be spotted by just looking at your ceiling from inside the home. In addition, an excess amount of stray granules from the shingles is also a bad sign. If you don't know what to look for next winter after severe weather strikes, it's best to be aware of the facts discussed below:

Watch For Water Damage To The Ceiling

If you have ever had a bathroom on the second-floor leak and years later, had to paint over it when the house went on the market or negotiated a better price on a home that had that damage, you already know how quickly that problem can occur and how ugly it looks. In case you have been fortunate enough to not have had that damage as of yet, it's simple to spot.

Even if the damage was not severe enough to allow leaking into the home, damage to the roof can manifest as spots on the ceiling. That is often due to hail that sat in a lower spot on the roof and leaked through the layers of roofing before melting, evaporating or otherwise being removed. If it's not addressed quickly, there's an excellent chance that the damage could worsen over time and mold can develop. That means that the next time it rains, you might find yourself searching for large bowls to contain the rain that is coming from your roof, so prompt repairs are crucial. 

Watch For Stray Or Missing Granules From The Shingles

In an ideal world, you would be able to quickly spot every inconsistency from one shingle to the next, even if the differences were quite minor. Since you don't live in that world, you'll need to settle for examining the different groupings of shingles on the roof. If any of them seem to be missing more granules than their counterparts, the functionality of the roof can be impaired and it's time to call a roofing repair expert.

However, if the roof is too wet, cold or slick for you to examine, you might be able to check for damaged shingles in other ways. For instance, if you spot parts of shingles or intact units within your yard, it's cause for alarm. In addition, those granules often separate from the shingles on the roof due to the impact of hail and can float away, so it's a good idea to check your gutters for that evidence for a few days after the hail has occurred.     

In conclusion, mild hail damage can be very discreet and therefore, quite challenging to detect when you have limited experience with it, As a result, it's important to watch for the above signs after a hail storm. If you're still unsure as to whether or not that damage has occurred or if your assessment suggests that it has, you should have a professional examine it at your earliest convenience.     

Contact a company like Bob Behrends Roofing & Gutters LLC for more information and assistance.