Indianapolis Storm Damage — How to Check for Roof Damage and What to Do About It

Springtime is here in Indianapolis, and that means unpredictable storms that can bring wind and hail — and both of those can spell serious damage for your home’s roof.

In this quick guide we’ll cover the easiest ways to check your roof for storm damage, how to assess the severity of the damage, and how to fix the most common types of storm damage to your roof.

How to Check Your Roof for Storm Damage

No surprises here — the best way to check for roof damage is to get your boots up there and see for yourself. 

After a storm has safely passed through Indianapolis, grab your ladder and hop up on the roof to survey the damage.

Two of the most common types of roof storm damage come from hail and wind. Here’s how to spot the surefire signs of roof damage.

Signs of Hail Damage to Your Roof

Hailstorms don’t always blow through Indianapolis, but they can be a real pain in the butt when they do. It shouldn’t come as a huge shock that chunks of ice crashing down from the sky can cause some serious damage to your roof.

Keep an eye out for dented shingles, as well as dents to other parts of your roof like your gutters, downspouts, flashing and roof vents.

Dented shingles

Hail can really beat the heck out of shingles. If Indianapolis got battered with golfball-size hail or bigger, it’s a pretty sure bet that you’ll be able to spot noticeable dents in your shingles once you’re up on your roof.

If the hail was smaller, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you got off scott-free. Run your fingers along a few shingles and you might be able to feel some dents that aren’t apparent to the naked eye.

How big of a problem are dented shingles?

If your roof is showing noticeable battle damage from a recent hailstorm, we’ve got bad news. Deeply dented shingles can eventually lead to leaks 

But we’ve got good news, too. Bryant Roofing Systems offers free inspections and quotes for hail damage — and we work directly with insurance so you don’t have to sweat it.

What to do about dented shingles

Again, if your shingles are looking worse for wear because of hail damage to your roof, don’t leave it to chance. Stay ahead of leaks and call on Bryant Roofing Systems to get your roof back in top shape.

Dented gutters, downspouts, flashing and roof vents

There’s a small silver lining with dents from hail: you don’t always need to get up on your roof to spot them. A lot of the time, you can take a gander at your gutters and downspouts to see the signs of hail damage.

How big of a problem are dented gutters, etc.?

Depends on how deep the dings are! If the dents are fairly shallow, you don’t have much of a problem on your hands. Cosmetic damage is a bit of an eyesore, but it shouldn’t keep you up at night about the integrity of your roof.

If the dents are deep, though, you might be at risk for leaks. That’s when you’ll want to call in a pro like Bryant Roofing Systems to patch things up or replace them entirely.

What to do about dented gutters, etc.?

Again, if you can live with some light cosmetic damage, more power to you. But if you’re worried that your dented gutters, downspouts, flashing and roof vents might be a sign of greater damage, give Bryant Roofing Systems a call.

Signs of Wind Damage to Your Roof

Wind damage blows. It’s rare that Indianapolis gets gale-force winds, but it’s a definite concern when you head outside of I-465 and into the rural counties of Central Indiana.

Wind damage to your roof can lead to creased or lifted shingles — or even missing shingles entirely.

Missing shingles

You might not even have to set foot on your roof to see the signs of missing shingles. You might even spot them in your yard, unless they blew away down the street.

How big of a problem are missing shingles?

Take a breather — a couple missing shingles aren’t going to cause your roof to collapse overnight. The thing is, the materials beneath your shingles aren’t meant to be exposed to the elements for the long run, though.

Your roof is made up of layers of materials that include a moisture barrier, so leaks aren’t likely to spring up immediately when a shingle goes flying off. But over time — it could be weeks, it could be months — those materials will deteriorate as they get battered by sunshine and rain. 

What to do about missing shingles

Don’t put missing shingles on the backburner. Get in touch with a roofing company that’s local to the Indianapolis area, like Bryant Roofing Systems, and get the damage assessed before another storm blows through.

Creased or lifted shingles

You don’t have to be a roof guru to know that shingles should lay flat. Heavy winds have a nasty habit of bending shingles so they stick up all over your roof, leaving weak spots in the proverbial armor.

Creased or lifted shingles aren’t hard to spot once you’re up on your roof. Look for any shingles that are sticking up and you’ve got all the proof you need.

How big of a problem are creased or lifted shingles?

Dinged-up shingles aren’t quite as bad as missing shingles, but they’re no walk in the park, either. Depending on the severity of the crease or lift, your shingles might be able to be repaired or they might need to be replaced entirely.

What to do about creased or lifted shingles

Just like with missing shingles, the path forward for creased or lifted shingles is to get a roofer who knows their stuff on your side. Bryant Roofing Systems offers free estimates, and we work with insurance to make the most of your claim.

Call the Roof Storm Damage Pros to Bring the Thunder

Whatever damage your roof took in a recent storm, call on Bryant Roofing Systems to kickstart your roof replacement or repair. We’re Indianapolis locals, so we know exactly what you’re dealing with after a storm blows through Central Indiana.

We work directly with your homeowner insurance company so you don’t have to sweat it. Schedule your free estimate and get the most from your storm damage claim with Bryant Roofing Systems.