A HAAG-trained roof inspector has completed HAAG’s coursework on how hail, wind and age affect roofing materials, and how to tell real storm damage from look-alikes such as blistering, wear and foot traffic. You should care because the training replaces “I think” with measurements: a trained inspector documents whether hail actually hurt the roof’s ability to shed water or shortened its life, and photographs the proof. That protects you from both sides of a bad inspection, the contractor who calls every scuff “damage” and the quick look that misses real hits.
What HAAG means by hail damage
The site’s long-standing summary of the HAAG approach comes down to two questions:
- Did the hail reduce the water-shedding ability of the roof covering?
- Did the hail shorten its expected service life?
Damage that affects the roof this way is called functional damage. A mark that does neither, like a small dent in a thick metal vent, is cosmetic, and many policies treat cosmetic damage differently. Read your policy’s language and our hail damage vs normal wear guide for examples.
What the courses cover
HAAG has offered separate tracks for residential roofs, commercial roofs and wind damage. The residential coursework covers how hail and wind interact with roofing, safe inspection technique, roof area calculation and codes, how products are made and installed, weathering, hail, wind and mechanical damage, maintenance, and repair costs. The commercial track adds low-slope systems such as built-up roofing, modified bitumen, TPO, PVC, EPDM, spray foam, metal and coatings. The wind track covers types of wind, their effect on steep and low-slope roofs, and how to separate wind damage from other causes.
What a careful inspection checks on a Colorado Springs roof
Whether or not the inspector holds a certificate, a thorough hail inspection here should include:
- Soft metals first. Gutters, downspouts, vents and flashing show dents that confirm hail size and direction.
- Test squares on each slope. Inspectors mark a sample area and count hits, so damage is measured, not estimated.
- Gas appliance vent caps. The Pikes Peak Regional Building Department warns that large hail can damage the vent caps for furnaces and water heaters so flue gases cannot escape, exposing a family to carbon monoxide. It suggests carbon monoxide detectors outside every sleeping room and a qualified contractor’s check of the roof vents. Under PPRBD rules, a roofer may only replace the cap, collar and jack on a B-vent; repairs to the vent itself need a licensed HVAC contractor.
- The attic. Daylight, wet decking and stains show what the shingles hide.
- Dated photos. Every finding photographed with its location.
Our roofer’s step-by-step hail inspection walks through the order on the roof. If you want the words inspectors use, see our roofing terms glossary.
Why it matters when insurance is involved
When the contractor’s inspector and the adjuster measure damage the same way, a disagreement becomes a question of what the photos show. Your claim stays yours; a good inspection simply makes sure nothing gets missed in the scope. If the claim is denied anyway, see your options when an adjuster denies a roof claim.
How to check an inspector’s credential
Ask for the inspector’s own certificate, which program it covers and when it was earned, and confirm with HAAG that it is current. A credential belongs to the person, not the company. Then check the company the way you would any roofer: a PPRBD license, insurance and reviews. Our guides on roofer licenses and insurance in Colorado Springs, where to research a roofer and what an honest roofer will not do cover those steps. Regular checkups between storms are covered in roof maintenance that actually helps.
For how other credentials and local codes work, see our roofing industry guides; for checking a roofer before you hire, see our guides to choosing a contractor.
Get a documented inspection
Integrity Roofing and Painting is veteran-owned and family-run since 1990, an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor with 650+ Google reviews. Our inspections include the attic, roof, flashing and gutters, with photos of everything we find. Call (719) 488-2800 or book a free Colorado Springs roof inspection, or see Colorado Springs hail damage repair.
Sources: Pikes Peak Regional Building Department, Do You Have Roof Damage From a Storm? (vent caps and carbon monoxide) and Reroof Guidelines, rev. 03/05/2024 (B-vent work). The HAAG course outline is from this page's earlier version; HAAG Education's website did not load for verification, so confirm current course names with HAAG.
