Hail strikes asphalt shingles and knocks the granules loose, exposing the mat underneath and creating soft spots that leak within months or years. The damage ranges from invisible to obvious depending on hail size, but even pea-sized hail can harm a roof that’s already ten years old. [Dominaition Demo Site](https://demo.dominaition.com) handles hail inspections and replacements across the Okanagan, including Kelowna, where spring storms regularly damage roofs.
How hail actually breaks down shingles
Asphalt shingles have three layers. The top layer is granules, tiny stones glued to the surface. Below that sits the mat, usually fiberglass or organic material. The bottom layer is the asphalt coating that sticks the whole thing to your roof deck.
When hail hits, it transfers kinetic energy straight into those granules. They crack, chip, or get knocked completely off. This isn’t like wind damage that tears shingles. Hail creates impact damage. The granules protect the mat from UV rays and weather. Once they’re gone, the mat starts breaking down immediately. Rain soaks in. Freeze-thaw cycles crack it. Within a year or two, you’ve got leaks.
The worst part? You might not see it from the ground. Hail damage often looks like small dark spots or dents. Homeowners miss it completely.
Size matters, but so does shingle age
Pea-sized hail (about 6mm) causes measurable damage to newer shingles. Quarter-sized hail (25mm) damages almost any roof. Nickel and dime-sized hail tears shingles apart.
But here’s what most people don’t know: a ten-year-old roof takes damage from smaller hail than a three-year-old roof. The granules have already weathered. The mat has already started oxidizing. The asphalt is stiffer and more brittle. So a roof that’s past its middle years gets hurt worse by the same storm.
In the Kelowna area, hail storms bring everything from pea to quarter-sized ice. We see roofs that took damage from one storm and then got hit again two years later. The first damage weakened them. The second damage finished them.
What the damage looks like
Fresh hail damage appears as dark bruises or indentations in the shingles. You might see granules in the gutters or scattered on the ground after the storm. Sometimes the shingles look like they’ve been dimpled, like a golf ball.
Older damage looks different. The spots darken as water gets in. Moss or algae might grow there. The shingles curl at the edges. You might notice water stains on your ceiling or attic before you see anything on the roof itself.
The tricky part is that impact damage doesn’t always show up immediately. A hail stone might crack the mat without breaking through the asphalt layer. For weeks or months, nothing happens. Then rain gets in through a microscopic crack, freezes, expands, and suddenly you’ve got a leak.
This is why insurance companies send inspectors after hail storms. They know the damage exists even when homeowners can’t spot it.
Insurance claims and inspection
Most homeowners insurance policies in British Columbia cover hail damage. The coverage depends on your deductible and your specific policy. Some policies have separate hail deductibles that are higher than your regular deductible.
After a hail storm, you should call your insurance company and your roofer. Insurance will send an adjuster or might ask you to get a contractor’s inspection. That inspection report becomes part of your claim. The adjuster uses it to decide whether damage is hail-related and how much to pay.
The inspection matters because insurance companies sometimes deny claims if they think the damage came from age or poor maintenance instead of the storm. A professional roofer’s inspection with photos and measurements helps prove the damage is fresh and storm-related.
In Kelowna, we’ve handled dozens of hail claims. We document everything. We photograph impact patterns. We measure the damage. We note the shingle age. This documentation helps your claim move faster and get approved.
How long before a hail-damaged roof fails
It depends on the damage severity and the climate. A roof with light granule loss might last three to five more years. A roof with mat exposure usually needs replacement within two years. Heavy damage means you should replace it before the next winter.
Kelowna gets cold winters and hot summers. That freeze-thaw cycle accelerates damage. A roof that might last five years in a milder climate might fail in three years here.
Some people try to patch hail damage with roofing cement or sealant. This doesn’t work long-term. You’re treating the symptom, not the problem. The mat is already compromised. Water will find another way in. You’ll end up replacing the roof anyway, just after spending money on temporary fixes.
The smart move is to replace a heavily damaged roof before it starts leaking into your home. Replacing a roof costs money. Replacing a roof and then fixing water damage to your attic, insulation, and interior walls costs much more.
What you should do after a hail storm
First, stay safe. Don’t climb on your roof to inspect it yourself. You might slip. You might miss damage. You might get hurt.
Second, call your insurance company if you have comprehensive coverage. Report the storm and the potential damage.
Third, get a professional inspection. A roofer who knows hail damage can spot what you can’t. They’ll take photos and give you a written report.
Fourth, get repair or replacement quotes if damage exists. Insurance will often cover this. Even if they don’t cover the full cost, you’ll know what you’re dealing with.
Don’t wait. Hail damage gets worse. Water gets in. Rot starts. Mold grows. The longer you wait, the more expensive the final bill becomes.
Common objection: “My roof looks fine”
Most hail damage isn’t visible from the ground. You need to be on the roof or use binoculars to see it clearly. Even then, small impact damage is easy to miss. Professional roofers know exactly what to look for. They’ve seen thousands of hail storms. They know the patterns.
After a confirmed hail storm in your area, get an inspection even if your roof looks fine. It costs nothing if you’re filing a claim. Insurance usually covers the inspection. If no damage exists, you’ve got peace of mind. If damage does exist, you caught it early.
About the work
Dominaition Demo Site is a residential roofing contractor in Kelowna, BC, serving the Okanagan region. They handle roof replacements, hail damage inspections, and emergency tarping for storm damage.