In July 2026, Prime Roofing & Restoration replaced a hail-damaged roof on a two-story home in Clay, in northeastern Jefferson County, Alabama. A June inspection found hail hits across the shingles and dents in the roof vents, and after the claim was approved the crew tore the old roof off and installed a new one.
Project at a glance
- Location: Clay, Jefferson County, AL
- Inspection: June 25, 2026
- Installed: July 14, 2026
- Final check: July 24, 2026
- Home: Two-story brick and siding home with a screened porch
- Service: storm damage roof repair
- Roof: New architectural shingles over synthetic underlayment
About Clay
Clay is a city in northeastern Jefferson County, part of the Birmingham metro. Spring and early-summer thunderstorms regularly bring hail across this side of the county. Prime Roofing serves Clay as part of our Birmingham-area roofing services.
Before: what the inspection found
The challenge: hail damage that is easy to miss from the ground
From the driveway this roof looked fine. Up close, the inspector circled hail hits in chalk across several slopes and found dents in the metal roof vents, the kind of damage that loosens granules and shortens the life of a shingle.
Those photos were the evidence for the insurance claim. Once it was approved, the crew replaced the whole roof, and a final visit checked the new shingles, drip edge and gutters.
What we did
- Inspected the roof and circled each hail hit in chalk.
- Photographed the dented vents and the hail hits for the insurance claim.
- Removed the old shingles down to the decking.
- Installed synthetic underlayment.
- Installed new architectural shingles, drip edge and vents.
- Came back for a final check of the shingles, edges and gutters.
During the job
The finished roof
Why these materials
Architectural (dimensional) shingles are made from two laminated layers, so they are thicker and heavier than the old flat 3-tab shingles many Birmingham-area homes started with. Prime Roofing is an Owens Corning Preferred Contractor and also installs other major brands; see our asphalt shingle roofs page for the options.
Synthetic underlayment goes over the whole deck under the shingles. It is lighter and more tear-resistant than old felt paper, it lies flat in the heat, and it gives the roof a second layer of water protection if a shingle is ever damaged.
New roof vents replace the hail-dented ones, so the attic keeps venting properly and the vents do not become a leak point later.
Keeping your roof in good shape
- Check the roof from the ground after every hailstorm or strong wind. The National Weather Service office in Birmingham, which is based at the Shelby County Airport in Calera, issues the severe thunderstorm and hail warnings for this part of central Alabama.
- Keep gutters and downspouts clear, especially in fall, so water does not back up under the first row of shingles.
- Trim tree limbs back at least 6 to 10 feet from the roof. Limbs that rub the shingles wear off the granules that protect them.
- Look at pipe boots and roof vents once a year. Rubber pipe boots dry out in the Alabama sun long before the shingles do.
- If you see a ceiling stain, call right away. A small leak at a flashing is a quick fix, while wet decking left for months is not.
Frequently asked questions
We walk the roof and circle each hail hit in chalk, usually on a 10 by 10 foot test square on every slope, and photograph the dents in vents and metal flashing. Those photos are what the insurance adjuster sees, so we take them before anything is touched.
It depends on your policy and on how much damage the adjuster finds. Prime Roofing documents the damage with photos, meets the adjuster at the house and walks the roof with them, but the decision is your insurance company’s.
Most homes Prime Roofing re-roofs are torn off and covered in one day, with cleanup and a final check the same day or the next morning. Bigger or steeper roofs can take a second day.
Yes. Prime Roofing offers a free roof inspection in Clay and across the Birmingham area.
Think your Clay roof has hail damage?
Start with a free roof inspection. We will photograph what we find and walk you through insurance claims help if there is damage. See also our storm damage roof repair page.