Test Square (Roof Hail Inspection)
A marked-off section of roof, commonly ten feet by ten feet, used during a hail damage inspection to count the number of hail hits within that known area, giving a consistent, repeatable way to measure damage severity across the whole roof.
Why it matters
Counting hail hits across an entire roof by eye isn't reliable or consistent from one inspector to another. A test square gives everyone involved, the insurance adjuster, the contractor, and the homeowner, a shared, measurable standard: a specific number of hits within a specific, known area, rather than a subjective impression of how damaged a roof looks.
On a real project
An insurance adjuster marks off several ten-by-ten test squares at different spots on a roof and counts the hail hits within each one, using that count to determine whether the damage meets the threshold the insurance policy considers reportable.
Who this matters most to
An Insurance Adjuster uses test squares as the standard method for documenting and justifying a hail damage assessment on a roof claim.
Where this goes wrong
An inspection counts hail hits across the whole roof without using a defined test square, giving an impression of damage severity that isn't tied to any measurable, defensible standard. The resulting damage assessment is harder to support if the insurer disputes the claim later.