Roofing Glossary

Hail Bruise

A hail bruise is the characteristic damage hail leaves on an asphalt shingle: the impact fractures the fiberglass mat beneath the surface and dislodges granules at the strike point, leaving a soft, bruised-feeling spot — often with a dark, granule-free circle.

Bruises are insidious because the shingle can look almost normal from the ground. Press the suspect spot and it gives slightly, like a bruise on fruit; over months and years, the fractured mat lets water in and the damage spreads into cracking and deterioration.

Insurance adjusters are trained to find bruising patterns — random, consistent strikes across slopes facing the storm, often with collateral hits on soft metals like vents and gutters. Documented bruising is the basis of most hail insurance claims.

Why It Matters

Hail bruises do not heal — they are permanent fractures that shorten the roof's life from that day forward. After any significant hailstorm, a professional inspection is worth it even if the roof looks fine from the yard.

What to Watch For

• Soft spots on shingles that give under thumb pressure
• Dark circles with missing granules in a random pattern
• Dented vents, gutters, or flashing after a storm

A Maryland Note

Maryland's spring and summer thunderstorms regularly produce damaging hail, especially in the central counties. Post-storm inspections here routinely find bruising homeowners never suspected.

Questions about your own roof? Request a free estimate or call Nucci Brothers Roofing at (301) 458-1003.