Hail Damage Roof Inspection in Albuquerque: Is It Real Hail Damage?
From the ground, a scuffed shingle and a damaged one look about the same. Answer five quick questions below and you'll get a straight read, even if that read is "you're fine."
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Most Hail Marks Don't Mean What You Think
Cosmetic marks are just marks. Functional damage is what lets water in, and it's the only kind that needs fixing. Telling them apart takes a trained eye, which is how a lot of homeowners end up paying for work they didn't need.
Real Storm Damage, Not a Stock Photo
These photos are from a Los Lunas roof we replaced after the September 28, 2025 hailstorm: the hail-damaged tan shingles before, and the same roof with new GAF Timberline NS Charcoal shingles after.
Before
AfterSee the whole job, from inspection to finished roof: Los Lunas hail damage roof replacement.
Examples of hail damage documentation
Check Your Roof in 60 Seconds
It won't diagnose anything, but it'll tell you whether a closer look is worth your time.
What We Actually Look For
Beyond what the self-check above can tell you, a real inspection focuses on:
If hail damage means a new roof, ask about Class 4 impact-rated GAF shingles, installed as a complete GAF system by a GAF Certified contractor.
- Bruising: soft spots you can feel with your hand
- Granule loss down to the mat, not just surface scuffing
- Dents in soft metal like vents, flashing and gutters, which usually tell the clearest story
For close-up photos of each of these, see our hail damage roof visual guide. If the damage turns out to be real, our hail damage roof repair page covers how we document it, and the roof insurance center explains what happens after you file a claim.
What a hail claim pays can depend on policy terms such as cosmetic exclusions and percentage deductibles, if your policy includes them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Every roofer knocking on doors says I have hail damage. Is that true?
Not necessarily. Door-knocking after a storm is a common sales tactic here. Have the roof checked by someone you chose, and don't take anyone's word for it on your doorstep, including ours.
Does hail damage always mean I need a full replacement?
No. It depends on how bad it is and how much of the roof it covers. Sometimes it's a repair. Sometimes it's nothing at all.
What size hail damages a roof?
Hail around 1 inch across (about quarter-size) is the usual threshold for damage to asphalt shingles, and smaller stones can still bruise shingles that are old or brittle from New Mexico sun. Concrete and clay tile typically cracks from hail about 1.5 inches or larger, while metal roofing shows cosmetic dents from roughly 1 inch up. Wind speed and the angle the hail hits matter as much as size, which is why two houses on the same street can come through the same storm very differently.
How long will a roof last after hail damage?
A shingle roof with hail bruising often looks fine for a year or two, then starts shedding granules and leaking as UV light breaks down the damaged spots. At Albuquerque's altitude that decline tends to be faster than in milder climates. Insurance policies also set a deadline for filing a storm claim, often a year or less, so it is safer to document the damage now even if the roof is not leaking yet.
Case Studies
Real Timberwolf jobs, with the photos to prove it.
Hail-damaged roof replaced with GAF Timberline Natural Shadow
Hail hits on every slope. Torn off to the deck and re-roofed in two days.
Read the case study →
September 2025 hail damage, new GAF Timberline NS in Charcoal
Damage you couldn’t see from the driveway. New roof installed in one day.
Read the case study →
Weathered fascia wrapped in metal to match the roof
The roof was fine, so we fixed the trim. Done in one day.
Read the case study →
Still not sure?
A free roof report tells you what's actually going on up there.