Why Colorado hail is different

Front Range hail tends to be larger, denser, and more frequent than what most of the country sees. A 1” hailstone falls at roughly 50 mph; a 2” stone falls closer to 70 mph. Hail above 1.25” is the threshold where most asphalt shingle damage becomes mechanically significant. We see that size of storm multiple times a year in the metro.

What this means for your roof: even a storm that seemed mild from inside the house can leave damage that won’t become visible until the next rain finds it — or until granule loss accelerates aging on the exposed mat.

How hail damages a roof

The damage from hail isn’t just the obvious holes — it’s mostly the secondary effects that shorten the roof’s useful life.

• Granule loss. Hailstones knock the granule layer off asphalt shingles, exposing the asphalt mat to UV. The mat dries out faster, becomes brittle, and starts to crack.
• Mat bruising. A hailstone can fracture the mat without leaving an obvious surface mark. Bruised shingles fail earlier and let water through at the bruise sites.
• Broken seal strips. Hail and the wind that comes with it can lift shingles enough to break the factory seal, even if the shingle settles back into place. An unsealed shingle is one strong wind away from leaving the roof.
• Soft-metal indicators. Dents in gutter aprons, vent caps, ridge vents, and flashing are reliable indicators of the size and direction of the hail that hit. We use these to estimate damage to less-visible roof areas.
• Accelerated wear. A roof in the second half of its expected life often fails faster after a significant hail event — even if the storm wouldn’t have totaled a new roof.

Our hail-damage inspection

1. Free inspection visit. We come out, walk the roof, and document conditions from the field shingles down to the soft metals.
2. Soft-metal check. Gutters, downspouts, vent caps, A/C fins. These tell us how hard the hail hit and from what direction.
3. Mat & granule check. Test squares on each slope, inspection for bruising, granule accumulation in gutters and downspouts.
4. Attic / underside check (where accessible). Moisture stains, daylight, fastener pops — signs the damage has reached the deck.
5. Written scope with photos. You receive a documented record of conditions and a recommended next step (repair, partial replacement, or full replacement).

Repair or replace? How we decide

Hail damage doesn’t always mean a full roof replacement. We’ll recommend the option that actually matches what we found:

• Spot repair. Localized damage on a younger roof — replace the affected shingles, re-seal, re-flash where needed.
• Partial slope replacement. One slope took the brunt of the storm but the rest is sound and well within its expected life.
• Full replacement. Damage is widespread, the roof is in the second half of its life, or repairs would mismatch the existing shingle so visibly that replacement is the cleaner answer.

If you have an active insurance restoration claim, we provide the photos, scope, and measurements your carrier needs. We don’t negotiate the claim on your behalf — you and your carrier handle that side. See our insurance restoration page for how the documentation side works.

Why Green Slate Roofing & Siding

• Local Front Range contractor. Based in Colorado, working across the Denver metro — not an out-of-state storm-chaser.
• 5.0 average across 64 Google reviews. Verified on our Google Business Profile.
• HomeAdvisor Top Rated · Best of 2021 · Elite Services (3-year). Recognized for service quality on multiple platforms.
• Factory-trained and certified installers. Our crew is trained on the products we install.
• Honest assessments. If your roof doesn’t need to be replaced, we’ll tell you.