A proper hail damage roof inspection checks more than shingles. On a Front Range home, we start on the ground, walking every side of the house and looking at siding, paint, windows, gutters, and downspouts, because the whole house tells the storm story. Then we go up and check the roof surface, vents, flashing, and anything mounted on the roof. We photograph what we find so you can see it for yourself. That is what a hail damage roof inspection is supposed to check: the house, then the roof, documented clearly enough that you can decide what to do next.
If you had hail this year and never had anyone look, you are not alone. Storm season on the Front Range moves fast. By fall, a lot of homeowners finally get around to asking the right question. This post answers that question in plain language, then helps you decide when an inspection is worth it, what the photos mean, and which door-knocker promises to treat as red flags.
For how we run inspections at Blue Peaks, see our hail damage inspection page. This article is the homeowner guide behind that search question.
Why the ground comes first
Hail does not only hit the roof. It hits soft metal, vinyl, screens, and trim on the way down. Those surfaces often show damage more clearly than asphalt from the driveway. That is why a careful inspection does not start with a ladder.
We walk every side of the house. Hail often comes in at an angle, so one elevation can take more hits than another. Skipping a side means skipping half the story. On that walk we look at:
- Siding and paint for cracks, chips, or dents
- Windows and screens for broken glass or torn mesh
- Gutters and downspouts for dents and granule buildup
- Soft metals around the house that dent easily and show where hail hit
Only after that ground read do we go on the roof. Up there we check shingles (or tile or metal), vents, flashing, pipe boots, ridge and roof edges, skylights, and anything mounted on the roof. The goal is not a quick glance at the easy spots. The goal is to build a documented story of what the storm did to this house.
That order matters for you as a homeowner. If someone only climbs up, snaps three photos of the ridge, and hands you a card, they did not really inspect. They shopped for a claim.
What the photos are for
We document what we find so you can see what we saw. Close-ups show the hit. Wider shots show where it sits on the home. When we come down, we walk you through those photos in plain language: what it is, where it is, and whether it matters.
Photos are not a promise that insurance will pay. They are a record. If you later decide to file a claim with your insurer, your own documentation helps you stay grounded in what is actually on the roof instead of guessing from the driveway. If we do not find storm damage, we tell you that too. Free inspections come with no obligation either way. If the roof is fine, we say so.
We are roofers, not adjusters. We cannot guarantee anything about what your insurance company will decide. That line is not fine print for us. It is how we talk on every hail inspection, because homeowners deserve honesty before anyone starts talking about scopes and contracts.
When you should get an inspection
You do not need a visible crater in a shingle to schedule a look. Hail damage is often hard to see from the ground. Good reasons to book a free inspection include:
- You know a hailstorm hit your neighborhood and nobody has been on the roof since
- You see dents in gutters, downspouts, or roof vents
- Granules are collecting in gutters or at the bottom of downspouts
- Window screens, siding, or soft outdoor metal show new dings after a storm
- A buyer, realtor, or HOA asked for a current roof condition report after weather
Timing is a homeowner decision. Many people prefer to know whether there is damage before they call their insurance company. Others call the carrier first. Either path is fine. What we will not do is file a claim for you. We never file a claim on your behalf. If you decide to file, you file with your insurer.
If you are heading into a claim and want the Colorado process in order, read our guide on how to file a roof insurance claim in Colorado. It covers policy basics, filing, scope review, and recoverable depreciation carefully: only on replacement-cost (RCV) policies, after the work is done, and within your policy deadline. This post will not deep-dive that. The claim guide is the right place for it.
Red flags from door-knockers who promise a free roof
After a Front Range hailstorm, trucks show up fast. Some crews are solid. Some are not. Use these as educational red flags, not as legal advice:
Anyone who promises your insurance will pay for a new roof. A roofer cannot decide your claim. Your insurance company does. If someone guarantees approval, walk away.
Anyone who offers to cover, waive, or rebate your deductible on a home. In Colorado, a residential roofing contractor cannot pay, waive, or rebate an insurance deductible (C.R.S. 6-22-105(1)). That promise is a red flag, not a favor.
Anyone who wants to meet your adjuster or talk to your insurer before you have hired them. Under Colorado law, a roofer can meet your adjuster on site or discuss the repair scope with your insurer only after you have signed a contract with them (C.R.S. 6-22-105(3)). Until then, we can inspect, document, and give you our honest opinion of what we found, nothing more.
Anyone who skips the ground walk and only sells from the ridge. A real inspection builds the story from the house outward. A sales pitch starts with a number and works backward.
Pressure is another tell. You should have time to read your policy, compare options, and decide whether filing makes sense for your deductible and coverage type. Restoration with a Purpose, for us, means the process and the straight answer matter as much as the finished roof.
What Blue Peaks checks (and what we tell you)
On a Blue Peaks hail inspection we look at the roof surface, flashing and vents, gutters and downspouts, and siding and windows: the same areas our service page lists, walked in that ground-first order. You get photos, a plain explanation, and a recommendation: repair, replacement, or nothing at all, and why. If replacement makes sense, ask us about Class 4 impact-resistant shingles.
If you hire us under a signed contract and you have filed a claim, we can meet your adjuster on site and go over the repair scope with your insurance company. We do not negotiate your claim, and we do not file it for you.
Blue Peaks Roofing was founded in 2019 in Littleton. We serve residential, commercial, and multi-family customers across Colorado. The inspection itself stays simple: honest look, clear photos, no obligation.
Book a free hail inspection
If hail hit your area this year and you still have not had a professional look, start with the inspection, not with a promise from someone on your porch.
Call (303) 808-0687 to schedule a free hail damage inspection, or book through our hail damage inspection page. We will walk the house, check the roof, photograph what we find, and tell you straight. If you later need the claim steps, keep our guide on how to file a roof insurance claim in Colorado handy.
Free inspection. No obligation. If the roof is fine, we will say so.
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