Metro Detroit storm season runs roughly April through September, and 2025 was one of the more active years on record across Brighton, Howell, and the east-side suburbs. Hail events in May and August produced thousands of insurance claims; July microbursts took shingles off entire neighborhoods in Royal Oak and Troy.
Storms like that bring two waves of damage: the storm itself, and the wave of out-of-area contractors that show up to capitalize on it. This guide tells Metro Detroit homeowners how to handle both.
How to Spot Hail Damage From the Ground
You usually cannot see hail damage from the street, but several giveaways are visible from your driveway:
- Dents in metal — your gutters, downspouts, AC condenser fins, and aluminum siding take hail before your roof shows it
- Granule loss in gutters and at downspout splash areas — large amounts indicate fresh impact
- Cracked or split shingles visible at roof edges
- Dings on grills, mailboxes, garbage cans, and patio furniture
If you see those signs, your roof almost certainly has hail damage worth filing a claim on — but you need a professional to map it before you call the insurance company. See the action sequence below.
How Wind Damage Shows Up
Wind damage is easier to spot from the ground:
- Shingles missing or visibly lifted along ridges, eaves, and corners
- Exposed black underlayment or bare decking patches
- Shingles in your yard, on the driveway, or in the gutters
- Damaged or detached gutter sections
- Bent or torn flashing around chimneys and vents
The 72-Hour Action Window
What you do in the first 72 hours after a Metro Detroit storm matters more than what you do in the next 72 days. The full step-by-step sequence is in our spring storm damage action plan, but the short version:
- Document everything immediately with photos — before any contractor sees it
- Get a free professional inspection before filing your claim
- Do not sign anything with a door-knocker
- File your claim with documentation, not guesses
- Have your roofer present when the adjuster comes out
Documenting Damage Like an Adjuster
Insurance adjusters look for specific evidence patterns. The more your documentation matches their template, the smoother the claim. Our Michigan roof insurance claims guide covers the full template, but the essentials:
- Wide shots of every side of your home with date stamps
- Close-ups of any visible damage at multiple angles
- Screenshots of the storm event from a credible weather source
- Photos of any neighbors' homes that show similar damage (corroborating evidence)
- The drone inspection report from your roofer, with annotated photos
Storm Patterns Differ Across Metro Detroit
A single storm front can produce wildly different damage profiles in different parts of Metro Detroit. We see hail concentrate along certain corridors year after year — west-side Brighton and Howell tend to get larger hail; Royal Oak, Birmingham, and the Ferndale corridor tend to get higher wind events; Canton, Plymouth, and Livonia see a mix.
Knowing your local pattern helps you anticipate damage and document it well. If your neighbor down the street had hail damage, you almost certainly do too — even if you cannot see it from the ground.
The Class 4 Impact-Resistant Upgrade
If you are replacing a roof in Metro Detroit because of storm damage, this is the single best upgrade decision: switching to Class 4 impact-resistant shingles. Many insurers (including most major Michigan carriers) offer premium discounts of 15–30% for Class 4 roofs, which can offset the upgrade cost entirely over time. Our best roofing materials for Michigan weather guide breaks down which Class 4 lines we recommend and why.
What Crown Roofing Does Differently
We do not chase storms — we live here year-round, based in Pinckney, licensed in Michigan, and on the road across all four counties every week. Free drone inspection, insurance-claim coordination at no extra cost, and honest assessments that sometimes recommend you do not file at all.
If a storm hit your home this year, schedule a free Crown Roofing inspection at crownroofing.pro/schedule or call (734) 359-7140 before you sign anything with anyone else.
Ready for a Free Roof Inspection?
Crown Roofing offers free drone inspections across Livingston, Oakland, Wayne, and Washtenaw counties. Same-day written report. Zero obligation.