How to Spot Hail Damage on Your Roof in Albuquerque, New Mexico: Northeast Heights
Hail damage is easy to miss and easy to confuse with normal wear. After a storm rolls through the Northeast Heights or anywhere in the metro, a few checks from the ground can tell you whether it is time to get your roof inspected.
1. Albuquerque Has Real Hail History
On October 5, 2004, hail fell on Albuquerque in the middle of the night, and a second round hit the west side the next morning. Insurers estimated about 4,100 homeowner claims and $39.7 million in losses from that event (Claims Journal). When a big storm comes, it can hit many roofs at once.
2. What Hail Damage Looks Like on Shingles
The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) lists these signs on asphalt shingles (IBHS):
- A random pattern of impact marks on the shingles.
- Bruising: soft spots you can feel when pressing on the shingle.
- Cracks or breaks where hail struck.
- Damage on ridge caps, which IBHS says are especially vulnerable.
3. What Is Not Hail Damage
IBHS is clear that granule loss on its own does not prove hail. Granule loss along shingle edges from weathering, uniform wear across the roof, and granules washed off by heavy rain are not hail damage (IBHS). That matters for your claim, because the impact pattern is what separates hail from wear.
4. Check the Things Around Your Roof First
You do not need to climb a ladder to gather clues. IBHS recommends looking for dents or spatter marks on nearby items such as A/C units, gutters, metal flashing, downspouts and patio furniture. Those marks confirm a hail event happened at your address (IBHS). Photograph them with a date stamp.
5. Stay Off the Roof and Avoid Door-Knockers
Walking a damaged roof is risky. The New Mexico Attorney General has warned against letting door-to-door roofers onto your roof and advises against signing anything they hand you. The office recommends checking with the Construction Industries Division (CID) that a roofer is licensed and has no pending complaints (NM Attorney General).
6. When to Call for an Inspection
Call for a professional inspection if you see dented gutters or A/C fins, shingle pieces in the yard, or a new leak after a storm. IBHS describes bruising as soft spots you feel by pressing on the shingle, so a hands-on inspection is how it gets confirmed.
Get a Hail Inspection in the Northeast Heights
We inspect roofs across the Northeast Heights and the metro. See our storm damage and hail repair service, read our hailstorm insurance claims guide, or call (505) 477-4936.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is granule loss a sign of hail damage?
Not by itself. IBHS says edge granule loss from weathering, uniform wear and granules washed off by rain are not hail damage (source).
What should I photograph after a hailstorm?
IBHS suggests looking for dents or spatter marks on A/C units, gutters, flashing, downspouts and patio furniture, which confirm hail hit your property (source).
Should I let a door-to-door roofer inspect my roof?
The NM Attorney General advises against letting door-to-door roofers onto your roof and against signing anything from them; verify licensing with CID first (source).
