Soft metals
What are soft metals on a roof?
The bendable metal accessories — gutters, vents, flashing — where hail dents show up as clear, hard-to-deny evidence.
DefinitionDocument damage on every job
Soft metals are the pliable metal components around a roof: gutters, downspouts, vents, flashing, and metal fascia. Because they dent easily, they record hail strikes that shingles can hide.
Adjusters often check soft metals first. Fresh dents in gutters and vents are objective proof a hail event hit the property, which strengthens the case for the shingle damage too.
Photographing soft-metal dents — with a reference object for scale — is one of the most persuasive parts of a hail file. They’re the evidence that’s hardest for a carrier to wave off as cosmetic.
Related terms
Hail damageImpact damage to shingles from hail — bruising, granule loss, and fractures that compromise the roof and trigger a claim.Granule lossWhen the protective mineral granules wear or knock off a shingle — a key sign of hail impact and aging.Test squareA marked-off section of roof — usually 10 by 10 — where you count hail hits to prove the density of storm damage.Wind damageRoof damage from high winds — lifted, creased, or missing shingles that break the seal and let water in.