Milton has roofs from the 1840s and roofs from the last few years, and hail does not treat them the same. Martin Exteriors Roofing & Siding comes up from Roscoe, about 45 minutes away on I-39/90, to look over Milton roofs at no charge. You get close up photos and a written repair plan. Phone (815) 624-6278 at any hour, and when hail has broken through, a tarp can go on within 24 hours.
Milton’s Hail Record
NOAA’s Storm Events Database lists six hail reports for Milton since 2010, and five of them were stones an inch across or larger, the biggest close to golf ball size. It also lists close to 20 wind reports, most describing trees and big limbs down in and around the city.
Stones that big rarely punch through. Instead they crush the shingle’s surface, pop off its protective grit and fracture the fiberglass mat, and water finds those fractures months later. When a big storm has come and gone without anyone checking your roof, a free, photo-documented inspection answers the question. See hail damage repair. For leak repairs and the rest of Milton’s storm record, see roof repair in Milton.
Wind on the North Side
A National Weather Service survey recorded straight-line wind damage on Milton’s north side, including shingles blown off a roof, and a brief tornado later crossed the northern part of the city, mostly bringing down large trees. Storms like these leave a mix of damage: lifted and folded tabs, broken ridge caps and limb strikes. We go over every slope and check the attic for cracked decking. See wind damage repair.
Old Milton, Milton Junction and the New South Side
Milton grew as two settlements: Old Milton around Joseph Goodrich’s Milton House, and Milton Junction about a mile west, where the railroads met. They joined as one city in 1967. By Census estimates for 2020 to 2024, about 24% of Milton homes date from before 1940, about 22% in the 1960s and 1970s, and about 18% in the 2000s, with the median home at 1974.
Then building paused. Milton recorded no new residential subdivision plats from 2008 to 2018, and Red Hawk Farms on the south side added 44 lots after that. So a hail inspection in Milton can mean a roof that is well over 100 years into its story, a 2000s roof near the 20 year mark, or one that is only a few years old.
Cream Brick Walls, Shingle Roofs
Some of Milton’s oldest buildings, including the Italianate halls of the Milton College Historic District, are cream brick. Hail does little to brick, so on a brick house the damage is overhead. We check the roof, the chimney cap and the flashing where the roof meets the masonry. Flashing set into old mortar joints can work loose with age, a hard hit can make it worse, and that joint is where water gets behind the wall.
Cape Cods, Ranches and Their Weak Spots
The city’s 2013 architectural survey describes Cape Cods and then ranches going up after World War II. On a Cape Cod, the steep side gables and the dormers take hail at different angles, so we check each dormer roof and its flashing on its own. On a ranch, hail strikes the long, low slopes almost head on, and the hits can show up as dark spots where grit was knocked away. The survey also notes that many of those ranches were later resided, and that siding can crack in the same storm.
A Newer Roof Can Still Take Damage
A roof on a 2000s house is now about 20 years old, and shingles that age are stiffer and bruise more easily. But even a roof on a brand new south side home is not immune to large hail. Shingle warranties are written for manufacturing defects rather than storm damage, so a new roof that took a beating is still worth a free look.
Associations and Rental Buildings After Hail
Census estimates put close to a quarter of Milton homes in buildings with two or more units, and about 13% in buildings with five or more. When an association board or a property manager calls after hail, we inspect every building on the property and deliver one set of photos and written findings, building by building.
Repair or Replace
A few bruised shingles on an otherwise healthy roof can be fixed: we match them as closely as possible, swap dented vents and look at the boards underneath. Hits across most slopes, or a second layer already up there, point toward a new roof. That job starts by stripping everything down to bare wood, swapping any rotten boards and running ice and water shield along every eave, then a full GAF roof goes on. Ask about GAF Class 4 impact resistant shingles if you want more protection next time. Most roofs are replaced in a day. Read more on roof replacement in Milton. You can also spread the cost, at as low as $149/month for qualified buyers.
GAF names fewer than 2% of roofing contractors Master Elite, and Martin is one of them. Because of that, a new Martin roof that qualifies can be registered for a lifetime GAF warranty with up to 30 years on workmanship (GAF eligibility rules apply). Details are on the GAF warranty page.
Siding After Hail
Broken siding gets cut out and new pieces go in; we never fill cracks with sealant or filler. As a Certified James Hardie Installer, Martin puts Hardie fiber cement forward first, and vinyl is the second option. More on Milton siding repair.
Why Hire Martin in Milton
- Thousands of homeowners helped, serving the area since 2006.
- Recognized in GAF’s 2-Star President’s Club.
- A CertainTeed 5-Star Contractor and SELECT ShingleMaster.
- Named an Inc. 5000 Company.
- No charge for inspections, ever.
More for Milton
Everything else we do in the city is on the Milton roofing page, and a leak with no storm behind it belongs on Milton roof repair. Our hail damage repair guide goes deeper on hail, and Janesville readers can go to hail damage roof repair in Janesville. To get on the schedule, request your free inspection or dial (815) 624-6278.
Milton Hail Damage FAQ
My Milton house is cream brick. Can hail still damage it?
The brick itself usually holds up, but the roof, the chimney cap and the flashing where the roof meets the masonry can be damaged. We check all three.
My roof is only a few years old. Is it worth checking after hail?
Yes. Large hail can bruise a new roof, and shingle warranties are written for manufacturing defects rather than storm damage. A free inspection with photos tells you where you stand.
Why do you check each dormer on a Cape Cod separately?
Dormers face different directions than the main roof, so hail strikes them at different angles. Each dormer roof and its flashing can be damaged on its own.
Can you inspect a whole condo complex after a storm?
Yes. We inspect every building and give the board or property manager one set of photos and written findings, organized building by building.
Do you really come up to Milton from Roscoe?
Yes. Milton is about 45 minutes north of our 11704 Main St office. The line at (815) 624-6278 is staffed 24/7, and a leaking roof can be tarped within 24 hours.
