What Type of Roof Holds Up Best Against Hail?
Quick answer
For hail, look for a roof rated UL 2218 Class 4, the highest impact rating a roofing product can earn. Class 4 asphalt shingles, like Owens Corning's Duration FLEX and Duration STORM, and metal roofs are the usual choices. No roof is hail-proof, though, so the other half of protecting your home is getting damage checked after a storm and getting the insurance claim handled right.
We're a family-owned roofing company in Cumming, and hail is the storm we deal with most. Caitlin, who handles our marketing and sends letters to neighborhoods after storms, put it simply: "Hail's very big. There's random hailstorms, they don't last long, it's nothing crazy, but it's enough to damage your roof."
That's the pattern around here. A short storm rolls through, the roof looks fine from the driveway, and the homeowner doesn't find out anything is wrong until much later. So when someone asks which roof holds up best against hail, the honest answer has two parts: what the material is rated to take, and what happens after the storm.
How hail ratings work
Roofing products are tested under a standard called UL 2218. According to Owens Corning's product literature, the lab drops steel balls on a sample to simulate falling hail, hits the same spot twice, and checks the back for cracks. The bigger the ball a product survives, the higher its class.
| UL 2218 rating | Steel ball size |
|---|---|
| Class 1 | 1.25 inches |
| Class 2 | 1.5 inches |
| Class 3 | 1.75 inches |
| Class 4 (highest) | 2 inches |
Some products also carry a Class 4 rating under a second test, FM 4473, which uses ice balls in place of steel. If a quote says "impact resistant" without a class, ask which class.
Your roofing options, compared for hail
Standard architectural shingles
This is what most homes in the area have. Owens Corning TruDefinition Duration is the shingle we install most often, and we register the Owens Corning warranty when the job is finished. If hail protection is your top priority, check the impact rating on the exact shingle you're quoted, since the Duration family has more than one product.
Class 4 impact-resistant shingles
Owens Corning's Class 4 lines are Duration FLEX, made with a rubberized SBS polymer-modified asphalt that flexes more than a standard shingle, and Duration STORM, which has a polymer backing layer. Owens Corning notes that Class 4 shingles may qualify for a homeowner's insurance discount, so call your agent before you decide.
Metal
Metal is a common pick for storm country, and we're a certified DECRA contractor for stone-coated metal. We compared metal and tile for storms in an earlier post on storm resilience in Cumming. Metal can still be damaged, and we've replaced hail-damaged metal on homes in our area (more on that below). You can see every material we work with, including cedar and DaVinci, on our roofing services page.
What a hail-damaged roof costs to replace
| How you pay | What you pay | Typical timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Out of pocket | Starts around $12,000 to $15,000, depending on the size of the home and the shingle | New roof within a week of saying go |
| Insurance claim for hail damage | Your deductible, once the claim is approved | About one to two months from filing |
Those are starting points, not quotes. Every roof we do gets a formal written quote that lists the shingles, materials, and the full scope of work, so an upgrade like a Class 4 shingle shows up there in plain numbers. Our guide to roof replacement in Cumming covers the other options and who pays.
What decides how your roof comes through a hail storm
- The impact rating. A Class 4 product has been tested against the largest steel ball. Get the rating in writing on your quote.
- The age of the roof. Most of the roofs we replace are 20 years old or more. Shawn's was close to 20 when hail damaged it.
- How soon someone looks at it. Hail damage is easy to miss from the ground. After storms we track which neighborhoods got hit, and Logan, our director of sales, is the one who comes out to look.
- Who handles the claim. Claims get denied when the damage isn't documented well enough. We bring in a licensed public adjuster to work the claim on your behalf.
What a hail replacement with us includes
- A visit from Logan to look at the roof, usually the day after you call or the day after that.
- If you're going through insurance, a meeting with a licensed public adjuster to document the damage.
- The insurance paperwork. As Caitlin says, "The customer really doesn't have to do anything much as far as paperwork or anything with insurance. We handle that."
- Tear-off and install. A typical asphalt roof takes a day or two, and Logan is on site when the old roof comes off and when the new one goes on.
- Interior repairs when the claim covers them, as it did on both jobs below.
- Owens Corning warranty registration when the job is complete, with levels up to a 50-year warranty, plus our own workmanship warranty.
A hail claim we handled in Atlanta
Shawn's roof in Atlanta was close to 20 years old when a hail storm came through. Logan knocked on his door afterward, told him the roof might be damaged, and set up an inspection. USAA covered a full replacement, and we took care of the interior damage too. Shawn went with Owens Corning Duration in Williamsburg Gray.
"Logan, their sales director, came to our door after the storm, explained that we might have damage, and offered to have the roof inspected. They took it from there, and for a nominal sum (our deductible), we were able to get our roof replaced."
Shawn M., Google review, August 2023
Metal takes hail damage too
Steve's home in Canton had asphalt shingles and standing seam metal sections. After a storm with wind and hail, USAA covered a full replacement that included all of the standing seam metal, along with the damage inside the house. The shingles are now Owens Corning Duration in Peppercorn.
Metal is a good roof. It just isn't a reason to skip an inspection after a bad storm.
Frequently asked questions
What class of roof is the most hail-resistant?
Class 4 under UL 2218 is the highest impact rating a roofing product can earn. It means a sample took two hits in the same spot from a 2-inch steel ball and did not crack. Whatever material you choose, ask for the rating in writing on your quote.
What are the best shingles to avoid hail damage?
Look for shingles rated UL 2218 Class 4. From Owens Corning, the brand we install most, those are TruDefinition Duration FLEX and Duration STORM. Owens Corning says Class 4 shingles may qualify for a homeowner's insurance discount, so check with your agent before you choose.
How can you tell if your roof is Class 3 or Class 4?
Start with the paperwork from your last roof, which should name the exact shingle. Look up that product on the manufacturer's website and check its UL 2218 rating. If the paperwork is long gone, ask your roofer to identify the shingle during an inspection.
How do insurance companies feel about metal roofs?
It depends on the company and the policy, so ask your agent directly. Owens Corning notes that Class 4 rated shingles may qualify for a discount, and the same question is worth asking about any impact-rated roof. After a storm, what matters most is whether the damage gets documented well, which is why we bring in a licensed public adjuster on claims.
What is the biggest problem with metal roofs?
For hail, the biggest problem is assuming metal cannot be damaged. It can. On a home we reroofed in Canton, the standing seam metal sections were part of what insurance replaced after a wind and hail storm.
Will insurance replace my roof after hail?
Often, yes, when the damage is real and documented. Most insurance companies will cover a new roof in that case, though we have seen claims denied. We handle the paperwork, bring in a licensed public adjuster on your behalf, and most insurance jobs take a month or two from the day the claim is filed.
Have us take a look at your roof
If a storm has come through your part of Cumming, or your roof is getting close to 20 years old, give us a call. We're open Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Logan will walk you through what he finds and what your options are, insurance or not.
Topps Roofing & Construction. The gold standard in roofing.
