How Hail Storm Affects a Home's Structure. The Hidden Damage Only Structural Engineers Can Detect
Hailstorms in Virginia are a serious threat to residents, and many homeowners only spot the obvious damage, such as cracked shingles, dented gutters, or broken siding. What most people don’t realise is that hail can create hidden structural damage that slowly weakens the home over time. These issues may not appear right after the storm, but they can lead to leaks, roof sagging, interior cracks, and long-term safety concerns if left unchecked.
A licensed structural engineer is trained to identify changes in a home’s load path, shifts in the attic and roof structure, and early signs of structural stress. This is why a hail damage structural inspection is one of the most important steps homeowners can take after a severe storm, especially in states like Virginia, where hail, wind, and moisture often strike together.
This blog is for homeowners in Virginia to understand the hidden damage caused by hailstorms, which requires a professional structural inspection to be identified and repaired correctly.
Why Hail Damage is More Serious Than It Looks
Most homeowners assume hail only affects surface materials like roof shingles or metal flashing. But hail does far more than create dents. Even small hailstones hit with surprising force, and when they strike repeatedly during a storm, the impact can weaken the roof deck, rafters, trusses, and even the framing around chimneys and skylights.
But here’s the bigger issue:
Not all hail damage appears immediately. Some damage begins microscopically, a softened roof deck spot, a hairline crack in a truss joint, and worsens over weeks or months. By the time visible signs appear inside the home, the damage may already be significant enough to affect the home’s structural integrity.
This is why homeowners should never rely on visual inspections from the ground or on a roofing contractor’s opinion alone. Roofing contractors diagnose roofing materials, while structural engineers diagnose the home itself.
Structural Damages from Hail, Hidden from Sight by Homeowners
A hailstorm can create internal damage that doesn’t become obvious right away. Many problems start in the attic, within the structural framing, or in other areas that most homeowners never check.
Let’s have a close look at the most common forms of hail damage that remain hidden.
1. Roof Decking Impact
The roof deck, the plywood or OSB, is what supports the whole roofing system. When hail hits hard, it can bruise or crack this decking even if shingles don’t show a great deal of damage.
Bruised decking may feel soft underfoot, sag slightly between rafters, or begin to rot as moisture enters. Over time, this weakens the structure and causes uneven roof surfaces, interior ceiling moisture, and temperature instability in the home.
2. Damaged Trusses or Rafters
Trusses and rafters carry the weight of the roof. Hail, combined with strong winds, can shift or slightly warp these pieces. Even a few millimetres of movement can change how the roof distributes weight.
If left unchecked, this can lead to:
• Irregular rooflines
• Bowed truss members
• Loose or fractured joints
• Stress fractures that spread with time
This structural misalignment is practically impossible for a homeowner or roofer to detect without a professional structural engineer’s intervention.
3. Storm-Related Cracks in Walls or Ceilings
Many owners discover cracks weeks later and believe they are due to settling. In fact, the movement of the roof during a hailstorm will put stress on the walls and cause cracks around windows and doors, or at ceiling corners.
A structural engineer determines whether this crack is cosmetic or an early indicator of bigger structural changes.
4. Attic Moisture and Concealed Leaks
Hail can puncture or weaken the underlayment, thus allowing water to seep into the attic slowly.
This moisture often:
• Soaks insulation
• Damages rafters
• Causes mould growth
• Causes interior staining months later
Early detection is essential, as homeowners may not notice symptoms until long after the storm.
5. Compromised Roof Underlayment
Underlayment is the crucial waterproof layer beneath the shingles. Large hailstones can tear it off, especially on old roofs.
Even if you cannot detect immediate leaks, compromised underlayment allows moisture to travel out of sight before entering the living space.
6. Loosened or Weakened Structural Connections
High winds during a hailstorm may loosen key structural connections, including:
• Hurricane straps
• Metal truss plates
• Ridge joints
• Roof-to-wall anchors
Loose connections weaken the load path, making the home more vulnerable to future storms.
So what superpowers do licensed structural engineers have that enable them to identify hailstorm damage early?
Let’s find out in the next section.
Why is a structural engineer the one who can find these problems
Roofers look for shingle damage; insurance adjusters look for visible, easily documented issues. However, structural damage will require a more in-depth analysis.
Only a licensed structural engineer may:
1. Evaluate the integrity of trusses, rafters, and roof framing
2. Identify stress patterns caused by hail impact
3. Assess Attic Moisture Migration and Concealed Water Intrusion
4. Analyse changes in the load path throughout the house
5. Determine whether apparent cracks are storm-related or age-related
6. Use engineering calculations to support damage findings
This is the difference between “a roof inspection” and a “hail damage structural inspection”.
Beyond structural assessments, a professional structural engineer also helps homeowners obtain the proper claim from insurance companies by providing a state-stamped report, which is considered a strong document in such matters.
Structural engineers identify damage caused by a hailstorm, and a forensic assessment helps them differentiate between existing issues and those caused by the storm. A professional engineer’s report also mentions enough evidence of the damage by associating the impact with accurate storm events.
Here’s a little more about how a professional structural engineer does it and how it helps homeowners with insurance claims.
How Engineers Relate Damage to Storm Events
Insurance companies often deny claims when they believe the damage existed before the storm. Structural engineers help resolve this by creating objective, science-backed documentation.
A professional storm damage inspection includes:
1. Event Correlation
Engineers use NOAA and local meteorological records to confirm:
• Hail size
• Wind speeds
• Storm timing
• Areas Affected
This allows the engineer to match specific hail impact patterns to the exact storm.
2. Damage Pattern Analysis
Hail leaves characteristic impact marks. Engineers compare bruising, cracks, and material shifts with known storm behaviours to verify the cause.
3. Mapping Moisture Patterns
Engineers check insulation, decking, and rafters to map how water travelled after the storm, something adjusters rarely do.
4. Engineering Calculations and Evidence
The final report includes measurements, photos, diagrams, and a stamped conclusion linking the damage to the event. This documentation strengthens the insurance claim and increases the chance of approval.
When Should You Hire a Hail Damage Structural Inspection?
You should contact a structural engineer if: your area received hail 1 inch or larger, you see new cracks after a storm, Ceilings show yellow or brown stains, or your roof appears uneven. Your insurance claim was either denied or underpaid. You plan to sell the home after a major storm, even if no visible damage appears, hidden weaknesses can grow into costly repairs.
Call the Best Forensic Structural Engineers in Virginia
Hail Damage is far more than a Roofing Problem. The aftermath can include weakened decking, truss damage, attic moisture, and structural shifts. A hail-damage structural inspection by a licensed engineer provides homeowners with peace of mind by ensuring their home’s structural strength is in the right place.
Also, accurate documentation provided by structural engineers helps homeowners obtain insurance claims.
Therefore, it is always advisable to have a structural expert inspect after any major storm.
Are you unsure about the structural strength of your home since the last storm? Call (605) 467 – 7328 now to book a professional forensic structural engineering inspection in Virginia.
