Bruised asphalt shingles
The impact fractures the fiberglass mat and knocks the granules loose. The shingle looks intact for a season, then the exposed mat degrades and the slope starts leaking.
roof repair in KirkwoodHow Kirkwood hail damage gets handled
We chalk a 10-by-10-foot test square on every slope of your Kirkwood roof, count and photograph the impacts inside it, and use that documentation to support your insurance claim — the same protocol adjusters use. The inspection and the written estimate are free, and our insurance division meets the adjuster on site with you. Call (314) 429-6000; a live person answers 24/7. Approval is always the carrier's decision, and we never guarantee a payout or waive a deductible.
Kirkwood is a difficult place to assess hail damage honestly, and that is exactly why it should not be assessed from the driveway. The housing stock in 63122 spans a century and a half — brick Tudors and Victorians near the train station, postwar ranches on the south side, and a growing number of large new builds on old lots — and the roofs on them are not all asphalt. Slate, clay tile, cedar shake and standing-seam metal all still exist here, and each one shows hail differently. A hail impact that would be an obvious black bruise on a laminate shingle can appear on slate as a hairline fracture you only see from the right angle in the right light.
The tree canopy Kirkwood is known for complicates it further. Heavy oak and sycamore cover intercepts some of the stones and shields parts of a roof while leaving other slopes fully exposed, so damage here is frequently uneven from plane to plane. A homeowner looks at the front elevation under the trees, sees nothing, and assumes the storm missed them — while the unshaded west and south slopes took the whole event. That is the pattern our technicians find over and over in this ZIP code, and it is the reason we test every slope rather than the one that is easiest to reach. Hail also announces itself away from the roof: check the gutter faces, the downspouts, the AC condenser fins, painted trim, the mailbox and any metal patio furniture. Soft-metal denting on the ground is the corroborating evidence that turns a contested claim into a documented one.
The Process
How A Kirkwood Hail Inspection Works
Full-roof, slope-by-slope inspection
A technician gets on the roof — safely, with fall protection — and works every plane, not just the one facing the street.
Test squares chalked and counted
A 10-by-10-foot square is marked on each slope and every impact inside it is counted and photographed. That is the standard an adjuster works from.
Collateral evidence documented
Dented gutters, downspouts, fascia, vents, condenser fins and soft metal around the property are photographed to corroborate the date and severity of the storm.
Claim filed and adjuster met
Our insurance division assembles the file and meets your adjuster on the roof so the same evidence is in front of both parties.
What Hail Does To A Kirkwood Roof
Fractured slate and tile
Older Kirkwood homes with slate or clay tile crack rather than bruise. One broken piece is a direct path to the underlayment and then to the decking.
St. Louis roof repairDamaged vents, caps and flashing
Ridge caps, pipe boots, turbine vents and flashing are thinner than the field shingles and dent or split first. They are also the cheapest thing to miss on a walk-around.
storm and hail damage repairGutters and soft metal
Dented gutter faces and downspouts do not just look bad — they are the corroborating proof that a hail event actually hit this address.
gutter repair and replacementSigns Of Hail Damage On A Kirkwood Home
- Granules collecting in the gutters or at downspout outlets. Heavy granule loss after a storm points to impact, not normal wear.
- Dark, soft-feeling spots on shingles. The classic bruise: the mat underneath is fractured even though the surface is not torn.
- Dents on gutter faces, downspouts or vent caps. Soft metal records the storm accurately and dates it.
- Cracked slate or split cedar shakes. On Kirkwood's older roofs this is what hail looks like instead of bruising.
- Bent AC condenser fins or dented patio furniture. Ground-level evidence adjusters take seriously.
- Damage on one slope but not another. Normal under a canopy — and a reason to inspect every plane.
Kirkwood Hail Claim Facts
| Inspection | Free, on every slope, with photo documentation and a written estimate |
|---|---|
| Method | 10-by-10-foot chalked test squares, impacts counted and photographed |
| Claim support | Dedicated insurance division; we meet your adjuster at the property |
| Typical outcome | Repair when damage is localized; replacement when multiple slopes are affected |
| Materials | Owens Corning architectural laminate, plus slate, tile, cedar and metal |
| Installation | Full tear-off to bare decking, never a layover; six nails per shingle |
| Warranty | Lifetime workmanship warranty on qualifying work |
Be Careful Who Knocks On Your Door
Kirkwood gets canvassed hard after every hail event, usually by crews that will not be in Missouri next year. John Beal Roofing has been family-run since 1947, is third-generation owned, and works out of Maryland Heights with offices in Chesterfield, Festus and Edwardsville, Illinois. We are an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Contractor, BBB A+ rated, and named to Roofing Contractor Magazine's Top 100. If your roof does not have hail damage, we will tell you that and photograph why — a free inspection that ends in "you are fine" is still the right answer.
Related: roof repair in Kirkwood, 24/7 emergency roof repair in Kirkwood, our storm and hail damage restoration service, and roof repair in Webster Groves.
Kirkwood Hail Damage Questions
How soon after a hail storm should I get my Kirkwood roof inspected?
Promptly. Carriers apply deadlines to storm claims and the evidence is cleanest while the granule loss and soft-metal denting are fresh. The inspection is free, so there is no cost to finding out early.
Can you tell hail damage from normal wear on an older Kirkwood roof?
Yes, and it is the central question on a roof that has age on it. Hail leaves randomly distributed, sharply defined impacts with fresh granule loss; wear is uniform and follows sun exposure. We photograph both and show you the difference rather than asking you to take our word for it.
My roof is slate. Do you inspect and repair slate for hail?
Yes. Slate and tile fracture instead of bruising, so they need a different eye and careful traffic on the roof. We inspect, document and repair these roofs, and we will tell you honestly when a slate roof is better repaired than replaced.
Will my insurance pay for a hail-damaged roof in Kirkwood?
Sometimes, when the inspection documents legitimate storm damage. In most approved claims the homeowner's out-of-pocket cost is the deductible. Payouts are never guaranteed and deductibles are never waived.
What if the adjuster says there is no damage?
It happens, and it is not always the last word. We meet the adjuster on the roof so both parties are looking at the same test squares and the same photographs. If the evidence supports a re-inspection, our insurance division pursues it.
Free Kirkwood Hail Inspection
Serving Kirkwood and central St. Louis County. Tell us when the storm hit and we will call to schedule your free inspection.
Hail Storm Hit Kirkwood?
Get a documented, slope-by-slope inspection before the claim window closes. Free, with photos and a written estimate.