Hail season in Boerne runs roughly March through June, with April and May the peak, and the storms that hit Kendall County are often worse than the ones that reach San Antonio because they build over the Edwards Plateau before they get here. Here’s what hail does to the three roof types common in the Hill Country, how to check for it, and when to call.
Why the Hill Country gets hit first and hardest
Warm, humid air from the Gulf pushes northwest and lifts over the Balcones Escarpment and the plateau. That lift is what builds tall, rotating storms, and Boerne, Fair Oaks Ranch, Comfort and Bandera sit right where they mature. By the time a storm reaches Loop 1604 it has often already dropped its largest hail on us.
What hail does to a shingle roof
Bruises, not holes. The impact fractures the fiberglass mat and knocks off the granules that protect the asphalt from UV. The roof looks fine from the driveway; the bruise opens over months and leaks. Ridge caps and wind-lifted edges take the worst of it.
What hail does to a metal roof
Different story. Standing seam and panel roofs take cosmetic dents, which most policies treat as cosmetic and some exclude. The functional damage is elsewhere: dented vents and flashing that no longer seal, cracked sealant at penetrations, and on exposed-fastener roofs, loosened screws and split washers. Those leak. A good inspection separates cosmetic from functional and documents the functional.
What hail does to tile
Large hail cracks and shatters individual tiles, which is obvious. Less obvious: the hits that crack tile also fracture the underlayment beneath it, and on 1990s tile roofs in Fair Oaks Ranch and The Dominion that underlayment is already near the end of its life.
The 10-minute check from the ground
- Gutters and downspouts. Dented aluminum means the roof took the same hits.
- AC unit. Dented condenser fins are one of the most reliable signs.
- Metal roof edges and vents you can see from the ground: dents on trim and vent caps.
- Granules piled at downspout outlets on shingle roofs.
- Cracked tile pieces on the ground or in gutters.
- Screens, siding, patio furniture, vehicles. Soft surfaces record hail size.
Why waiting costs money
Texas policies set a window for reporting storm damage, often one to two years and sometimes shorter. A leak that appears months later can be attributed to wear if there’s no documentation from the time of the storm. A post-storm inspection with dated photos solves both problems: it either confirms the roof is fine or establishes the damage and the date.
Before the next season
Class 4 impact-resistant shingles resist bruising and earn insurance discounts. Standing seam metal shrugs off all but the largest hail and matches the architecture here. If your roof is past 15 years, or your exposed-fastener metal roof is past 20, the inspection is worth doing before the storms, not after.
Hail came through? Here’s how we handle storm damage, and here’s where to book a free inspection.