My roof has hail damage. Is it going to leak when it rains?

The Phoenix metro area was pounded by a 100-year hail storm on Oct. 5, 2010, which damaged more than half a million roof tops. The result was a surge of insurance adjusters, roofing contractors and so-called "storm chasers," who sweep through heavily damaged areas looking for unsuspecting homeowners.

But just because your roof got damaged during a hail storm doesn’t mean it’s going to leak during the monsoon.If it didn’t leak last time it rained, there’s a good chance it won’t leak next time, either.
 
Hail does most of its damage to the top, granule layer of a shingle, but doesn’t necessarily penetrate the shingle. It might have left a divot, but not a hole.
 
Eventually, that divot and those missing granules will cause the shingle to weaken, which means your roof isn’t going to last as long as it would have or perform as well. So you need to have a hail-damaged roof replaced. But you don’t have to do it today.
 
If you haven’t gotten around to repairing the hail damage—or if you’re still on your favorite roofer’s waiting list for repairs—don’t panic. A good roofer is always worth waiting for.

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