Test square
What is a test square?
A marked-off section of roof — usually 10 by 10 — where you count hail hits to prove the density of storm damage.
DefinitionCapture carrier-ready photos
A test square is a defined area, typically 10 feet by 10 feet, that you chalk off on a slope and use to count hail impacts. It gives the adjuster a consistent, repeatable sample of the damage.
Carriers often look for a threshold number of hits within a test square to call a slope damaged. Marking a square on each slope — and circling the hits in chalk for the photos — is standard practice on a hail inspection.
Test squares turn a subjective “is it damaged?” into a number. Documenting one per slope is what carries a hail claim from inspection to approval.
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.Soft metalsThe bendable metal accessories — gutters, vents, flashing — where hail dents show up as clear, hard-to-deny evidence.ReinspectionA second look by the carrier — often with you present — to review damage or supplements the first adjuster missed or denied.