Anyone have experience with shingles that hold up against hail?

Honestly, I didn’t notice a huge difference in noise after switching to impact-resistant shingles. Still sounds like marbles rolling around up there when the hail hits, just maybe a little less intense. I get what you mean about the price jump - felt like highway robbery at first. But regular shingles got trashed in one storm a few years back, so I figured it might pay off in the long run. If noise is your main concern, have you looked into adding insulation in the attic? That helped a bit for me, more than the shingle upgrade did.

That’s interesting - I kind of expected impact shingles to help with noise too, but now I’m not so sure. Did you notice any difference in how the roof held up after storms, or was it mostly just about peace of mind? I keep hearing mixed things about attic insulation for sound... was it a big project to add, or more of a quick fix?

I keep hearing mixed things about attic insulation for sound... was it a big project to add, or more of a quick fix?

Honestly, I'd say attic insulation doesn't do much for hail noise. It's great for temperature control, but if you're hoping it'll deaden the sound of hail, you might be disappointed. Installing it isn't a huge job if your attic's easy to access - just rolling out batts or blowing in cellulose - but it's not really a noise solution. Impact shingles are more about preventing damage than quieting things down. After storms, I've seen less shingle breakage with Class 4s, but the noise level inside feels about the same as regular asphalt. If sound is your main concern, you might want to look at adding a solid deck layer or even considering metal roofing with an underlayment that specifically dampens impact noise - just my two cents.

That lines up with what I've noticed. We had cellulose blown in a couple years ago - definitely helped keep the upstairs cooler, but didn’t do much for hail noise. During a big storm, it still sounds like someone’s dropping marbles on the roof. I’ve wondered if adding another layer of plywood or even those sound-deadening mats would help, but not sure it’s worth the hassle unless you’re already re-roofing. Class 4 shingles are solid for damage, but yeah, not much quieter in my experience. Maybe metal roofs with special underlayment are better for noise? Never tried it though.

I’ve actually seen a few clients go the metal roof route with upgraded sound-dampening underlayment, and honestly, it’s not always quieter. Sometimes the noise just changes pitch instead of getting softer. Adding another plywood layer can help a bit, but you’re right - it’s only really practical if you’re already tearing things up. Class 4 shingles are tough for impact, but yeah, they don’t do much for sound. If noise is the main concern, you might look into attic insulation types or even acoustic panels, but results can vary depending on your roof structure and attic space.