Soft Metal Corroboration: Proving Hail With Gutters, Vents and A/C Fins

Written by Nathaniel Davis, owner of Roof Gutter Now — a licensed exterior restoration contractor in Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York. Updated August 2026

Adjusters trust metal more than asphalt, because metal cannot age into a dent. Soft-metal corroboration is often what turns a disputed roof into an approved one.

What to document, in order

• Gutter aprons and downspouts — the most reliable indicator, and at ground level where photographs are easy.
• Roof vents and turbines — thin galvanized dents readily and holds the impression.
• A/C condenser fins — flattened fins on the storm-facing side date the event precisely.
• Window and door wraps — aluminum capping shows strike patterns clearly.
• Mailbox, grill lid, garage door — off-structure metal that corroborates without any roof argument.

How the photographs should look

Use raking light — early or late sun across the surface, not straight on. Dents disappear in flat midday light and stand out at a low angle. Include a coin or gauge for scale in at least one shot per surface.

Note which elevation each surface faces. A consistent directional pattern across four different metals on the same side of the house is very difficult to attribute to anything but the storm.

Common questions