Damage during Hail Storms

9/16/2022 (Permalink)

Fall Storms can produce unseen roof damage from hail.

Hailstorms can cause serious damage to a roof. The impact from a hailstorm can bruise or crack roofing shingles, potentially leading to water damage in your home.Even if you don't have obvious holes in your roof due to hail damage, you likely still need a hail damage roof inspection to find out how much damage you are dealing with and how to proceed with any roof repairs needed.

Hail as small as half-dollar size will cause minor damage to most roofs and cracks in siding.  

Walnut size hail will cause severe roof damage and dents in wood. 

Golf ball size hail will cause exterior paint damage and car dents.  

Hail damage can be cosmetic or functional.  things like broken edges, bruises, punctures and granule loss can cause serious complications, though they may seem cosmetic at first.  

Granule loss:  The sandpaper-like part of the shingle.  When a shingle loses granules, its asphalt coating is exposed to the elements and this could lead to premature aging of the roof.

Cracks in the shingles: Hard hail impacts can cause cracks.  These can lead to exposure and tears, leaving your roof with bare spots, therefore unable to effectively protect your roof from inclement weather.

Exposed fiberglass mat: Hail impact can shatter the shingles' surfacing.  This could cause the shingle to break away from the fiberglass mat underneath.

Fractured fiberglass mat: This damage is slightly harder to detect and normally will require a trained professional.  A fractured mat can result in tears from the point of impact.

A typical homeowners insurance policy will include coverage for roof damage from hail but coverage may be applied differently, depending on your area, your insurance carrier and the details of your policy.