Did the Storm Hurt Your Roof?
Hail and wind can damage shingles you can’t see from the ground. Learn what to look for after a storm and how The Great House documents and repairs it.
ROOFING
10/28/20263 min read
ASK MASON · ROOF
Did the Storm Hurt Your Roof? What You Can’t See From the Ground
Mason shows the storm damage you can’t see from the ground and how we inspect your roof.
After a big storm, your roof can be damaged, and you won’t see it from the ground.
Watch Mason’s video, then read what to look for, why waiting matters, and how we help.
IN THIS GUIDE
01
What Mason Checks
What Storms Do to Shingles
GRANULES
The gritty layer that protects shingles from the sun.
HAIL HITS
Knock granules off and leave bare spots.
WIND LIFT
Breaks the seal holding shingles down.
Hail hits shingles hard and knocks off the granules, the gritty layer that protects them from the sun.
Strong wind gets under the shingle edges, lifts them, and breaks the seal that holds them down.
From the ground, the roof may look fine. But it has lost its protection.
Mason’s diagram: wind lifting shingles and breaking the seal
Storm damage often shows up months later, as a leak.
02
Warning Signs
Signs After a Storm
DENTS
Dents on gutters and roof vents.
GRANULES
Granules in your downspouts.
SHINGLES ON THE GROUND
Pieces of shingle in the yard.
Bare spots age fast in the sun, and lifted shingles let wind-driven rain underneath.
Months later, leaks start, and by then it can be harder to connect the damage to the storm.
Check this today
After a storm, walk around the house. Look for dents on gutters, vents and downspouts, granules at the downspout outlets, and shingle pieces in the yard. Don’t climb on the roof.
03
How We Fix It
How We Help After a Storm
We inspect your roof up close, safely. We photograph and document every hit and every lifted shingle, so you have clear records for your insurance claim, and we handle the repairs.
Caught early vs. caught late
Checking early keeps your options open. Waiting can make it harder.
In Northern Virginia
Many Northern Virginia homes are 40 to 60 years old. In Arlington, about 45% of homes were built before 1970 (U.S. Census, 2019–2023). Older roofs lose granules faster, so storm damage shows sooner on them. We documented and repaired storm damage like this on our Landview Dr roof in Manassas.
Planning a bigger project?
Need storm repairs or a new roof? We document the damage and handle the work. See prices and real projects on our roofing page.
The help: a documented storm damage report
ASK MASON · ROOF
Want to know another problem?
SPOTTED ONE OF THESE SIGNS?
We’ll check it before it turns into a big repair
Free in-home visit from a Class A licensed team. We check the problem, your roof and your attic, then give you a clear written plan.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
The Great House team
Written by the team at The Great House LLC, a Class A licensed builder and remodeler in McLean, VA (License #2705197237). We have renovated 30+ Northern Virginia homes since 2022.
PLANNING A PROJECT?
Our roofing service
See prices, real photos and how we work: our roofing page. Real projects: our project gallery.
Serving McLean, Vienna, Great Falls, Fairfax, all of Northern Virginia.