Hail and Your Roof in North Texas

If you’ve lived in North Texas through a spring or two, you’ve probably heard hail on the roof. The Southern Climate Impacts Planning Program, working from NOAA’s storm records, says northern Texas has had the highest frequency of large hail in the country since 1955. According to the National Weather Service, North Texas averages two to three hail days a year, and March through May is the peak season.

That makes the roof one of the most important parts of any home here, whether you’re living in it, buying it, or getting ready to sell it.

What Impact-Resistant Shingles Are

Impact-resistant shingles are tested by dropping steel balls on them to imitate hail. The toughest rating, Class 4, means the shingle held up to the largest ball in the test, about 2 inches across. The National Weather Service compares a 2-inch hailstone to a hen’s egg.

Not every Class 4 shingle performs the same in real hail, though. The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) tests shingles with lab-made hailstones instead of steel balls. In its 2025 ratings of 24 products, most rated “Good,” none rated “Excellent,” and some rated lower. IBHS doesn’t recommend the lower-rated products where hail is common.

If you’re replacing a roof, look up the shingle you’re considering in the IBHS ratings before you sign the contract.

I’ve seen how this plays out on my own house. I put Class 4 shingles on our roof when it was replaced about 10 years ago. In a recent storm, my son picked up hailstones in the backyard the size of baseballs. I had my roofer walk the roof afterward, and he found no hail damage on the shingles. What he did find was a few exposed nail heads, some routine maintenance I need to take care of, and dents in the soft metal on the roof. Those dents are worth knowing about: IBHS notes that dents and spatter marks on metal are one of the signs hail actually hit, even when the shingles held up.

What’s Under the Shingles Matters Too

The shingles get all the attention, but the layer underneath, called the underlayment, is your backup if the shingles are damaged or torn off. Many standard roofs use felt or a synthetic sheet nailed over the wood deck.

A sealed roof deck goes further. One option is a rubberized, self-adhering membrane that sticks directly to the entire roof deck. Another is waterproof tape over every seam in the decking, with underlayment on top. Either way, water that gets past the shingles has a much harder time reaching the attic.

IBHS testing found that a sealed roof deck can cut water entry by as much as 95% compared to a bare, unsealed deck. A sealed deck is also required for IBHS’s FORTIFIED Roof designation, a construction standard the Texas Department of Insurance has encouraged insurers to reward with premium discounts.

If you’re replacing a roof, ask your roofer whether the bid includes a sealed deck, which method they’ll use, and what it adds to the cost.

Not all self-adhered membranes are the same. Many are vapor-tight, so moisture that gets into the roof deck has a hard time drying out. Some newer versions are breathable, meaning they shed liquid water but let water vapor escape. Ask your roofer which kind they’re proposing and how the attic will be ventilated.

If you’re buying, here’s the takeaway: the underlayment is just as important as the shingles, and the two work together as one system. When an inspection calls out hail marks on a few shingles, ask whether the damage is only cosmetic. If the shingles still shed water and there’s a good underlayment beneath them, replacing them may not be worth it, because cutting into the roof can disturb the very layer that’s protecting the house. Have a roofer look at it before you ask for the repair.

Blisters Aren’t Hail

Not every spot on a shingle is hail damage. Blisters are small raised bubbles in the shingle surface that eventually pop and leave little pits. IBHS lists them as a common look-alike that gets mistaken for hail. Shingles can hold small amounts of moisture and other compounds trapped in the asphalt when they’re made. When the roof gets hot, those expand and push up through the surface. The International Association of Certified Home Inspectors says that today, blistering is usually caused by poor roof ventilation, which lets heat build up under the shingles.

The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association says poor attic ventilation lets heat build up under the roof and speeds up the aging of roofing materials. In a Texas summer, that adds up fast. Blisters are mostly cosmetic and won’t turn into leaks on their own, but widespread blistering can shorten a roof’s life. If a roof shows blisters, ask the inspector or roofer to check the attic ventilation too. Fixing the airflow helps the next roof last longer, and it can lower cooling costs as well.

Insurance: Discounts and Coverage

The Texas Department of Insurance says impact-resistant roofs may qualify for a discount on your homeowners premium, with Class 4 roofs getting the largest credit. There’s no set amount. Each insurer decides its own discount and what paperwork it needs, so ask your insurance agent before you choose a shingle. In September 2026, TDI also encouraged insurers to offer meaningful discounts for storm-resistant upgrades.

Two parts of your policy matter even more when hail hits:

• Replacement cost or actual cash value. With replacement cost, the policy pays to replace the roof minus your deductible. With actual cash value, the payment shrinks as the roof ages. In TDI’s own example, a 20-year-old roof could pay nothing at all.
• Your wind and hail deductible. Many Texas policies use a percentage deductible for wind and hail. On a home insured for $200,000, a 2% deductible means you pay the first $4,000.

Claim deadlines vary by policy, and some are as short as one year after the storm.

Checking a Roof’s Age When You Buy or Sell

The roof’s age affects insurance, inspections, and negotiations, so it’s worth knowing for sure. Here’s how to find out:

• City permit records. Grand Prairie requires a permit for any roof replacement, and Arlington and Dallas require one for most. Many cities let you search permits online by address. One caution: Fort Worth doesn’t require a permit to replace shingles alone, so a Fort Worth roof may have no permit record.
• The seller’s disclosure. The Texas Real Estate Commission’s Seller’s Disclosure Notice asks the seller for the roof type, its approximate age, and any past roof repairs.
• The claim history. TDI says a CLUE report shows up to seven years of insurance claims on a property, and a buyer can ask the seller for a copy.
• A professional inspection. An inspector can spot hail damage and wear that isn’t obvious from the ground.

If you’re selling, gathering the roof receipt, warranty, and permit before you list saves questions later.

After a Storm: Roofers and Your Deductible

After a big hailstorm, roofers show up fast, some of them from out of town. TDI recommends getting written bids, not paying the full amount up front, and never signing a form with blanks in it.

Watch for any roofer who offers to “cover” or “waive” your deductible. Texas law has made that illegal since 2019. The Texas Department of Insurance says it can bring fines of up to $2,000 and up to six months in jail. You can report it to the Texas Attorney General.

A roofer also can’t act as your insurance adjuster on a claim for work it’s doing. Deal with your insurance company directly.

Where to Check for Yourself

• IBHS shingle ratings show how specific products perform against real hail.
• The Texas Department of Insurance website explains roof coverage, deductibles, and roofing scams.
• Your city’s permit search shows when a roof was last permitted.
• Your insurance agent can tell you exactly what discount a Class 4 roof would earn on your policy.

If you have questions about buying or selling in North Texas, I’m happy to help.