Everything You Need to Know About Hail Damage to Your Roof
If you think hail damage to your roof is something that only happens to other people, then think again. Hail can damage roofs in just a few seconds and cause thousands of dollars’ worth of damage if you don’t know how to protect against it and how to repair the damage it does. Here is everything you need to know about hail damage to your roof so you can better prevent it or respond when it does happen. Finding the best local roofer in your area is important.
How Hail Damages Your Roof
First, let’s talk about what the hail does to your roof. A hailstorm is just a series of very large, dense ice clusters flying around. This causes most roofs to become completely covered in ice because of the sheer number and size of all the ice particles. The larger and heavier they are, the more damage they do. Here’s how hail might damage your roof:
Severe Roof Granule Loss
The chunks of ice that hit your roof break into smaller pieces. Some of these smaller pieces may have enough force behind them to break off and make their way down to the ground. The missing chunks will usually cause a gap in your shingles because they are much heavier than the surrounding tiles. This is what is known as severe roof granule loss or seam damage.
Cracks in the Shingles
When you have a lot of hail hitting your roof, you will notice small cracks forming in the shingles. This will most likely begin near the apex because that is the weakest point of the roof. These cracks allow water to get into your attic, which can be a large problem.
Weakened Roof Seals
Ice chunks are much heavier than water, meaning they can damage the roof more if they hit it. If you have a lot of weight falling on your roof, some of these chunks will be heavy enough to cause damage to the roof seams.
Peeling Roof Tiles
Even though there isn’t often enough ice on your roof to cause peeling issues, a lot of weight is still being placed on your roof, which causes some of that weight to break off and land on other parts of the roof.
Dealing With Roof Hail Damage
As you probably already noticed, ice damage to your roof can ruin it. Once it has occurred, it’s good for it to be inspected. This is true even if you don’t see any damage. If there were cracks and the roof was penetrated by a large part of hail, the roof would leak like crazy. This is what happens when it rains, and hailstones are still falling.
Get Your Storm Damaged Roof Inspected
If you have had hail damage to your roof, you need to get it checked out by an expert. This can be the best bet at minimizing any damage done to the property and minimizing future chances of that happening again. The best thing you can do is keep an eye on your roof all year round. Any changes to the structure or shape of your roof will be noticeable, even if there isn’t a lot of damage, which means you can get your roof looked at as soon as possible.
File an Insurance Claim for Hail Damage
Hail damage to the roof can be a very large expense. It’s hard to know how much time and money will go into fixing it, but there is no reason not to get paid for that loss. If you haven’t already done so, it’s time to start filing your insurance claim paperwork. The sooner you do it, the sooner you will get your money.
Get Your Roof Restored to Perfection
Once you have filed an insurance claim and dealt with some of the basic damage, get your roof taken care of properly. Look into having the whole thing replaced so there aren’t any future problems or patchwork done. This is going to be a very large expense, but it’s necessary and will give you a lot of peace of mind for years to come.
Is It Necessary to Fix Roof Hail Damage?
In some cases, it is recommended that the entire roof be replaced. This is especially the case if hail damage is severe enough to create a lot of leaks and other problems. The expense is going to be incredibly high, so it’s best to make sure you are completely covered in your insurance claim paperwork.
Avoid further damage by hiring professionals for your hail and wind damage restoration needs. Hire them for all your hail damage restoration needs. They will come equipped to handle the job fast.
