Fall Gutter Maintenance Checklist for Tulsa Homeowners
By: ABestRoofing • September 30, 2026
If you’ve ever watched a hailstorm move through Tulsa, you know how quickly the weather can change. One minute you’re watching rain come down, and the next you’re hearing hail pound against the roof, windows, vehicles, and everything else outside.
After the storm passes, one of the first questions homeowners often ask us is simple:
How big does hail have to be to damage a roof?
The short answer is that there isn’t one exact hail size that guarantees roof damage. Hail around an inch in diameter can potentially damage roofing materials, but smaller hail can cause problems under the right conditions, while larger hail can cause significant damage in just a few minutes.
The type and age of the roofing material, wind speed, hailstone density, roof slope, and location of the impact all matter.
That’s particularly important in the Tulsa area. The National Weather Service notes that Tulsa experiences large hail and damaging windstorms primarily during the spring and early summer, although hail can occur throughout the year. Historical NWS climatology also shows that hail has occurred frequently enough in the Tulsa metropolitan area to make post-storm roof inspections a worthwhile part of home maintenance.
At A-Best Roofing, we’ve seen firsthand that the size of the hail doesn’t tell the entire story. Here’s what Tulsa homeowners should know.
What Size Hail Is Considered Dangerous for a Roof?
Meteorologists generally consider hail one inch in diameter or larger to be severe. For homeowners, however, the more useful question isn’t whether hail technically meets the severe-weather threshold. It’s whether the hail was capable of damaging your particular roof.
Here’s a general way to think about hail sizes:
These comparisons are only approximations. Hail size alone doesn’t determine whether your roof has been damaged.
A dense, hard hailstone traveling at high speed can do considerably more damage than you might expect from its diameter. Strong winds can also increase the force of impacts.
That’s why we don’t recommend assuming that a roof is fine simply because the hail wasn’t enormous.
How Can Smaller Hail Damage Some Roofs?
One of the biggest misconceptions we hear is that hail has to be golf-ball-sized to hurt a roof. That’s not necessarily true.
Roofing materials become more vulnerable as they age. Asphalt shingles, for example, are designed to withstand normal weather exposure, but years of Oklahoma sun, heat, wind, rain, and temperature changes can gradually affect their condition.
An older shingle may be less resilient than a recently installed one. The same storm can therefore produce different results on two houses sitting across the street from one another.
Roof condition matters… and so does the roofing material. The impact can also matter more than the overall size of the storm. Hail striking a vulnerable portion of a shingle, flashing component, ridge cap, vent, skylight, or other roof accessory may create a problem that isn’t immediately obvious from the ground.
How Hail Damages Asphalt Shingles
Asphalt shingles are one of the most common roofing materials on Tulsa-area homes, and hail damage can take several forms.
One of the most common concerns is damage to the shingle’s protective granule surface. Those granules aren’t simply there for appearance. They help protect the asphalt beneath from weather and ultraviolet exposure.
A significant hail impact can dislodge granules or damage the shingle underneath them. In some cases, the damage is obvious. In others, it can be surprisingly difficult to see without getting close to the roof.
Hail can also:
- Crack or fracture shingles
- Bruise the underlying shingle material
- Damage exposed edges
- Affect ridge caps
- Damage flashing
- Crack or damage roof vents
- Damage skylights and other roof penetrations
- Cause granule accumulation in gutters and downspouts
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Don’t Climb on the Roof to Check for Hail Damage
We understand the temptation. You’ve just watched hail bounce across your driveway, and you want to know if your roof suffered hail damage. But getting on the roof immediately after a storm can create another problem: you could hurt yourself.
Roofs can be slippery, steep, unstable, or damaged in ways that aren’t immediately visible. There may also be downed power lines, broken branches, damaged structures, or other hazards around the property.
Instead, start from the ground. Look for obvious signs such as damaged siding, screens, gutters, downspouts, windows, outdoor equipment, or vehicles. If you’re comfortable doing so, use binoculars to look at portions of the roof that are visible from the ground. Then consider having the roof professionally inspected.
What About Hail Damage You Can’t See?
This is one of the most important reasons to have a professional roof inspection after a significant hailstorm. Not every roof problem is visible from your driveway.
A professional roofing inspection can evaluate the roof surface and components more closely and determine whether there are signs consistent with storm damage. At A-Best Roofing, we approach these inspections by looking at the roof as a complete system rather than simply searching for one obvious damaged shingle.
That means paying attention to the overall roof condition, including shingles, flashing, penetrations, vents, edges, and other components.
The goal isn’t to tell every homeowner that they need a new roof. Sometimes the appropriate solution is a repair. Sometimes the roof has enough damage or age that replacement makes more sense. And sometimes the roof is in good shape and no significant repair is necessary. A good inspection should help you understand which situation you’re dealing with.
What Should You Do After a Hailstorm?
If you suspect your Tulsa home has experienced hail damage, start with documentation. Take photographs of visible damage from the ground. Photograph damaged gutters, screens, siding, windows, vehicles, landscaping, etc.
If you can safely document roof damage without climbing onto the roof, do so. The Oklahoma Insurance Department recommends documenting storm damage with photographs or video and taking reasonable steps to prevent additional damage. It also advises homeowners to make necessary temporary repairs when needed, keep receipts, and avoid permanent repairs until the insurance company has had an opportunity to review the damage.
Your insurance policy ultimately determines what is covered, so it’s important to review your specific policy and discuss coverage questions with your insurance company or agent.
A professional roofing contractor can also inspect the roof and provide an estimate of any necessary repairs.
Should You File an Insurance Claim for Hail Damage?
This is where homeowners should slow down and avoid making assumptions. Not every hailstorm automatically means you should file an insurance claim. Your policy, deductible, the extent of the damage, and the cost of repairs all matter.
The Oklahoma Insurance Department notes that homeowners policies generally cover hail damage, but policies can contain limitations, exclusions, or separate deductibles for wind and hail. Homeowners should review their individual policy for the applicable terms.
We also recommend avoiding anyone who pressures you into signing an insurance-related contract before you understand the situation.
Start with information. Have the roof inspected. Understand what damage exists. Get a clear explanation of what needs to be repaired and why. Then talk with your insurance company about your policy and coverage.
That approach gives you much more information to work with.
Protecting Your Roof Before the Next Hailstorm
You can’t control the weather, but you can take steps to make your home better prepared for severe storms. Regular roof inspections can help identify aging shingles, deteriorating flashing, loose components, and other issues before severe weather arrives.
Keeping gutters and drainage systems clear is also important. Maintaining the surrounding property, including trimming branches that could fall onto the roof, can reduce some storm-related risks.
If you’re replacing your roof, you can also discuss roofing materials designed with increased impact resistance. The Oklahoma Insurance Department recommends considering hail-resistant shingles and notes that some insurers may offer discounts for impact-resistant roofing, depending on the policy and insurer.
However, impact-resistant roofing doesn’t mean hail-proof roofing. No roofing material can guarantee that a roof will come through every severe storm without damage.
The Bottom Line: Don’t Judge Roof Damage by Hail Size Alone
So, what size hail can damage a roof?
Hail around one inch or larger can damage some roofing materials, and the risk increases as hail gets larger. But there is no single hail size that guarantees damage or guarantees that a roof is safe.
Roof age, material, condition, wind speed, impact location, and the characteristics of the hail all play a role.
At A-Best Roofing, we’ve been helping Oklahoma homeowners understand and address roofing problems for more than 35 years. If a recent hailstorm has you wondering about the condition of your roof, we’re happy to take a closer look and explain what we’re finding without the pressure to make a decision before you’re ready.
Contact A-Best Roofing to schedule a professional roof inspection and get a clearer picture of your roof’s condition.