Hail Damage
Every house has a roof, and every roof is susceptible to hail damage. Summer storms can bring hail and wind, and with it possible catastrophic damage to the shingles on your roof. If left unchecked, they can lead to water damage, mold growth, and even roof collapse. To the untrained eye, your roof may look perfectly fine after a severe hail storm, but there could be unseen damage that may remain undetected for years to come, possibly leaving you unable to file a claim with your insurance company. You should have a full property damage inspection completed by a reputable contractor if you suspect that there may be damage after a storm. Doing so may save you tens of thousands of dollars down the road.
Homeowner’s insurance policies typically cover roof and siding damage caused by hail and wind. Hail and wind damage is typically not something that you would want to apply your DIY skills to, and would probably void any type of manufacturers warranty or homeowners insurance if you attempted to do so. Allow the accredited professionals to assess your hail or wind damage and work with your insurance company to get you on track with a professional, and warrantable repair.
The most common roof material is asphalt shingles. Asphalt shingles typically comprise of asphalt reinforced with an organic base material. The surface is coated with tiny metallic granules to protect the base material from sun and impact damage. When hail strikes the shingle, the granules are knocked off leaving a bare spot or a dent, exposing the asphalt material underneath. After the protective granules are knocked off, the underlying layers are exposed to rain, ultraviolet rays, and more hail damage, thus weakening the shingle and allowing moisture to penetrate under the surface. This can all go undetected without a certified professional inspecting your roof after a significant hail incident.
Hail comes in all sizes, from .2” in diameter up to a massive size of 8”! They can also fall at speeds of up to 120 mph, so you can imagine if thousands of balls of rock hard ice stones battered your roof, even for just a few minutes, how much damage that could cause. Not only can it cause catastrophic damage to your roof, but it can batter siding, shatter skylights, and even break windows. Don’t take a chance and simply assume that your roofing or siding is alright simply because it “looks OK from down here”, let an inspector assess what possible damage you may have. Even if the hail doesn’t break the skylight or window, there could be possible seal damage that you may not realize immediately, and you could be left holding the bag if you don’t file a claim in time.
