Storm damage to gutters: what to check

After a storm, most people crane their necks trying to judge the roof from the yard. Your gutters are easier to reach and honestly more telling. They sit at eye level and record a lot of what just hit your house.

Gutters as a hail gauge

Aluminum gutters and their metal covers are soft enough that hail leaves a mark. Run your eye along the top edges and the covers, and dents or dimples tell you hail actually landed and how hard.

That’s useful because your gutters and your roof took the same storm. If the hail was big enough to pockmark the metal down low, it was hitting your shingles the same way up top.

Think of it as a free gauge the storm left behind. Dented gutters are a strong hint to look closer at the roof, even if the shingles look okay from the ground.

Granules and how they add up

Asphalt shingles are coated in tiny granules that protect them from the sun. Hail and hard rain knock those granules loose, and they wash straight down into the gutters.

So check what’s collecting in there. A gutter with a heavy layer of grit and sand, or piles of granules near the downspout openings, is telling you the shingle surface is shedding its protection.

A little granule loss is normal over a roof’s life. A sudden pile after one storm is a different story, and it lines up with the kind of wear we cover in how to spot hail damage on your roof.

Detached and sagging gutters

High wind and the weight of hail and debris can pull gutters loose. Look for sections that have sagged, pulled away from the fascia, or dropped at a seam.

Damaged gutters aren’t just a gutter problem. When water can’t run off cleanly, it spills behind the boards and down the wall, which invites rot right where the roof meets the house.

If your gutters took a beating, the roof above them deserves a real look. Learn what a good check covers in storm damage roof repair, and when you’re ready, book a free inspection and we’ll go over both.