What does hail damage look like? Photos for Cape Fear homeowners
Real photos of hail damage and labeled illustrations, so you know what an adjuster and a roofer will be looking for on your house. Every photo is public domain or Creative Commons licensed and credited on our photo credits page.
Last reviewed against official sources. General information, not insurance or legal advice.
Look for round, randomly placed impact marks: dents in metal roofs, gutters and vents, flattened heat pump fins, broken windows, pocked siding, and on shingles small circles of missing granules. Even, slope-wide wear, dark algae streaks, rust and lines of damage under a tree are something else.
Coastal homes in the Wilmington area have a mix of asphalt shingles and metal roofs, plus gutters, vents and heat pumps that show hail clearly. Use these photos to recognize hail damage and to tell it from salt-air corrosion and wind wear.
Legally reusable close-up photos of hail on house shingles are hard to find, so this gallery combines real public domain and Creative Commons photos (FEMA, NOAA, the National Weather Service, the U.S. Air Force and Space Force, and independent photographers) with diagrams we drew and labeled as illustrations. Nothing here comes from a contractor's or insurer's marketing.
Metal roofs and rooftop equipment
Look for: dents that catch slanting light on panels and trim, crushed or bent fins on AC and heat pump coils, and dimpled vent caps. Metal roofs are popular on the coast for wind resistance, so this is the hail evidence many beach-area owners will see first.
Inside a shingle: illustrated
These drawings show what hail does to an asphalt shingle, how hail spacing differs from wear, how inspectors count hits, and the line between cosmetic and functional damage.
Windows, walls and siding
Look for: broken glass and torn screens on one side of the house, chips and pocks in paint, and cracked vinyl. The damaged side tells you where the storm came from, which helps match your claim to the official storm report.
Cars and boats as hail gauges
A vehicle, boat or trailer left outside during the storm is a handy record of hail size and direction. If your car is dented, the walls and roof slopes facing the same way deserve a closer look.
Measuring the hail
Stones melt in minutes in coastal heat, so measure fast. Put the biggest ones beside a ruler, coin or tape measure, photograph them, and note the time. Freezing a few in a bag can also help.
Look-alikes: what is not hail
Adjusters on the coast see a lot of normal wear. These photos show damage that follows age, water flow, installation or a falling limb, rather than the random scatter of hail. Salt corrosion on metal (rust, white powder, pitting) belongs in this group too.
When the roof is replaced
If the claim leads to a new roof, ask the contractor for photos of tear-off, decking and underlayment. They help with supplements and with any later dispute.
Where to look around your own house
Start with the side that faced the storm. Check gutters, downspouts, vents, the heat pump, screens, trim, the fence and anything metal on the deck or dock. Then read how to spot hail damage on a coastal roof and the after-hail steps.
How big has hail been in each Wilmington and the Cape Fear coast county?
Short answer: since 2006, every county this site covers has had hail of at least 1.75 inches, large enough to damage many roofs. The table shows the largest hail on record in each county (the most recent date if tied) and how many reports were 1 inch or larger.
| County | Largest hail | Where and when | Reports 1 inch or larger |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brunswick County | 2.00 in (hen egg) | Midway, April 5, 2017 | 45 |
| Pender County | 1.75 in (golf ball) | Hampstead, May 22, 2012 | 33 |
| New Hanover County | 1.75 in (golf ball) | Harbor Is, June 29, 2011 | 19 |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, 2006–2025. See the full local hail history.
Recent hail reports in the area
No hail of one inch or larger has been logged in the covered counties in the last 12 months. Smaller hail often goes unreported.
Frequently asked questions
Can I submit internet photos with my claim?
No. Your insurer needs photos of your own property, with dates. Use pictures like these only to learn what to look for.
Why are some images drawings?
Close-up shingle photos we can legally reuse are rare, so labeled illustrations show what the photos cannot.
What should my own photos include?
A wide shot of each side of the house, close-ups of dents and damage with a coin or ruler for scale, the hailstones themselves, and the date and time.
Policies vary. Check your own policy and ask your insurer or agent about anything that affects your claim. Laws and rules can change; this page reflects official sources as of October 29, 2026. WilmingtonNCRoofer.com is not a contractor, insurer, adjuster or law firm.
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