After the Storm: What an Arkansas Roof Looks Like in June

Arkansas spring is hard on roofs. Hail, wind or both roll through Conway, Little Rock and the rest of Central Arkansas most years. Some of the damage is obvious, the kind you can see from the driveway. Most of it isn't.

If you went through a heavy storm in April or May and nobody has looked at your roof yet, June is a good time to do it. Waiting until fall to find a damaged shingle can mean a winter of leaks, and insurance policies have deadlines for filing.

What hail actually does to a roof

Hail damage looks more like a bruise than a hole. Shingles get hit, the granules knock loose, and the asphalt underneath is exposed. From the ground the roof might look fine. Up close you can see dark spots where the granules are gone. That's the start of the failure.

The shingle doesn't leak yet. It might not leak this year. But the UV protection is gone in those spots, and once the asphalt starts breaking down, the rest follows.

Wind does its own damage: lifted or creased shingles, missing ridge caps, and flashing pulled loose at chimneys and walls.

Signs of storm damage

These are the things that point to a storm hitting a roof hard:

• Granule loss, especially on south and west exposures
• Dents in soft metal: vents, flashing, gutters and AC fins
• Cracked or lifted shingles around ridges and hips
• Bent or torn flashing at chimneys, skylights and valleys
• Gutters pulled away from the fascia by wind or debris
• Missing or damaged ridge cap shingles

Look at the soft stuff people forget, too. Window screens punched through, AC fins flattened, deck boards split. Those tell you the storm was severe enough to have hit the roof hard, even if the roof itself doesn't show much from the ground.

What you can check from the ground

I'd rather you not climb your own roof. Tall ladders and steep slopes are how people get hurt. You can do a fair amount from the ground:

• Walk the perimeter and look for loose shingles, dark spots, or pieces of roofing in the yard
• Check gutters and downspout outlets for granules. A little after a heavy rain is normal. A pile is not.
• Look at metal vents and AC fins. Dents there are the easiest hail evidence to spot.
• Check ceilings and upstairs walls for new stains, especially after a heavy rain.

If anything looks off, that's when you call someone.

What a home inspection covers on the roof

The roof is part of every residential inspection I do, whether you're buying, selling, or just want to know what you own. Along with the roof, I look at the attic, insulation and ventilation underneath, where leaks often show up first, and at the exterior, gutters and foundation perimeter where storm water ends up.

Anything I find goes in a detailed report with photos within 24 hours, and I'll walk you through what it means in plain language. If you're buying a home after a rough storm season, that gives you a clear picture of the roof's condition before you close.

Who to call for repairs and insurance claims

A home inspection tells you what condition the roof is in. For the next steps:

• A licensed roofing contractor repairs or replaces damaged shingles, flashing and ridge caps, and can tell you how much life the roof has left.
• Your insurance company sends its own adjuster to decide on a claim. Check your policy for its filing deadline before you wait.

If you had a major hail event this spring and nobody has looked at the roof, get it looked at before summer ends. Storm season is mostly over by mid-June, which makes this the right window to deal with what spring left behind.

Frequently asked questions about storm damage on Arkansas roofs

How long do I have to file a hail damage claim in Arkansas? It depends on your policy. Carriers set their own deadlines, so check yours before you wait.

Can a roof have hail damage without leaking? Yes. Hail knocks granules off shingles and exposes the asphalt to UV. It will fail eventually, even if it isn't leaking yet.

Does a home inspection report show roof damage? Yes. The roof is part of every home inspection, and the report includes photos and notes on any damage I find. For a claim, your insurance carrier will still send its own adjuster, and a licensed roofer handles repairs.

Is the roof covered in a home inspection? Yes. The roof is part of every residential inspection I do. Get a quote here for an inspection of your home.

For a full list of services, see our residential and commercial inspections.

Call or text: 501-505-6805 Email: inspectorbjmoody@gmail.com