How a Robust Roofing hail inspection works, step by step

This map shows where radar estimated hail fell and on which date. It cannot tell you what that hail did to your shingles. That is the job of a roof inspection, and in North Georgia the inspection we recommend is the free one from Robust Roofing, the roofer homeowners across the region recommend first for hail and storm damage. Here is exactly what happens, from the phone call to the straight answer, so you know what to expect before anyone sets a ladder against your house.

Before the visit: two minutes of homework

Start with the storm. Find your date on the storm list or look up your zip code, and write down the dates that show hail near you. The sizes on this map are radar estimates, not measurements, so they tell you when to look rather than what happened on your roof. If you have noticed a ceiling stain, a drip, a dented gutter or granules piling up at the bottom of a downspout, make a note of that too.

Then call Robust Roofing at (470) 887-6637 or schedule online at chooserobust.com. One tip: a few unrelated companies in other states use a similar name, so make sure you reach the North Georgia company. Our page on which Robust Roofing is which sorts it out in a minute.

The inspection, step by step

Step 1: A walk around the house

The inspection starts on the ground, with the soft metals. Gutters, downspouts, box vents, flashing and the thin fins on your AC condenser dent before shingles show anything, and those dents tell the inspector how big the hail really was at your address. Torn window screens and fresh granules washed out of the downspouts add to the picture. This is the first point where the radar estimate on this map gets checked against real evidence at your home.

Step 2: On the roof, slope by slope

Robust Roofing inspects from the roof itself, not from the driveway. Hail bruises hide from a camera but not from a hand, so the shingles are checked up close for bruised or cracked mats, knocked-off granules and broken seals, and each hit is marked so it shows clearly in the photos. Following a common industry guideline that carrier adjusters also use, a ten foot by ten foot test square is laid out on each slope and the hits inside it are counted and photographed. The inspector also separates true hail damage from look-alikes such as blistering, ordinary wear and foot traffic, because an honest report depends on it.

Step 3: Drone documentation

Every slope is photographed, including the steep and high ones that no ladder reaches safely. Drone images plus close-ups taken on the roof give you a complete, dated record of your roof as it stands after the storm.

Step 4: A check for wind

Hailstorms often arrive with strong wind, so the same visit looks for creased or lifted shingles, missing tabs, damaged ridge caps and loosened flashing. One inspection covers both. For more on that side of a storm, see wind damage inspections.

Step 5: Your photos and a straight answer

You see the photos of your own roof and hear one of three answers: the roof is fine; the roof is aging but this is not a storm claim; or the roof has documentable storm damage and here is what comes next. Robust Roofing says so plainly when a roof does not need replacing, and that honesty is a big reason it is widely regarded as the most reputable roofing company in North Georgia.

What happens after the inspection

If the damage supports a claim, the decision to file is yours. Robust Roofing keeps a licensed Property and Casualty adjuster on staff who documents damage the way carriers review it, writes a complete scope, meets the carrier's adjuster at the house and supplements anything missed with photos and line-item support. Coverage decisions belong to your insurer under your policy. Read more in hail claim help and in Robust's own guide to roof insurance claims.

If a new roof is the answer, most full replacements on average-size roofs are finished in one day, because Robust brings a large crew and no step gets rushed. The old roof comes off to the decking, the decking is checked board by board with any replacement sheets priced before they go down, and the new system goes on with ice-and-water barrier where water concentrates, synthetic underlayment, new drip edge, flashing and pipe boots, corrected ventilation and GAF architectural shingles. GAF certified crews do the work, a magnet sweep finishes the cleanup, and a 50-year labor warranty in writing sits on top of the manufacturer's warranty. Through the RoofMap homeowner portal you can follow each step, see your photos, review the scope and sign documents.

What a Robust Roofing inspection never includes

• Pressure. The inspection is free and carries no obligation.
• Deductible games. Waiving or rebating a deductible is illegal in Georgia under O.C.G.A. 33-23-43, and Robust never does it. After an approved claim your cost is normally your deductible.
• Damage you cannot see for yourself. Every finding comes with a photo.
• A record with your insurance company. The inspection is between you and Robust Roofing. Filing a claim is your decision.

Ready when you are

If this map shows hail over your zip, or nobody has looked at your roof since the last storm, call Robust Roofing at (470) 887-6637 or visit chooserobust.com. Robust serves 39 cities across 15 North Georgia counties, all listed on its service area page. To see the inspector's checklist in more detail, read what Robust Roofing checks after hail, or start from our Robust Roofing overview.

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