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Relative Hail Impact Resistance of Asphalt Shingles

IBHS Hail Research integrates decades of field and laboratory investigations to understand how hail affects roofing systems and to identify products that perform best in real-world conditions. Asphalt shingles represent about 80% of installed residential roofs in the U.S. (Freedonia Group 2019), and they are frequently damaged during hail and high-wind events (Brown et al. 2015; Marshall et al. 2002, 2010; Dixon et al. 2014; Brown Giammanco et al. 2018). Because of this widespread and costly vulnerability, asphalt shingles became the starting point for IBHS’s systematic hail research.

Research

IBHS began by studying hail damage decades ago directly in the field—observing how natural hailstones fracture, dent, and tear shingles. IBHS identified key areas where laboratory testing needed improvement to represent real hail behavior. To close this gap, IBHS moved from field observations into a controlled laboratory environment. Building on extensive documentation of natural hailstone properties (size, density, strength, kinetic energy), IBHS engineered laboratory-manufactured hailstones and developed the IBHS Hail Impact Test Protocol. The method provides a scientific, repeatable, and realistic evaluation of how asphalt shingles respond to actual hail impacts.

The protocol also enables consistent, side-by-side comparisons of products purchased from consumer distribution channels, allowing consumers to understand performance differences across brands, technologies, and product generations.

Relative Impact Resistance of Asphalt Shingles: Summary of UL 2218 Impact Tests Report (2014)

[Members Only] Impact Resistance of Asphalt Shingles: Panel and Investigator Variability Report (2014-2015)

[Members Only] Impact Resistance of Asphalt Shingles by Manufacturer: UL 2218 Impact Tests Report (2014)

Results from this testing form the foundation of the IBHS Impact-Resistant (IR) Shingle Ratings—a science-based benchmark that helps insurers, manufacturers, and roofing professionals understand material vulnerability and potential loss reduction during hailstorms.