What Does Hail Damage Do to Your Roof?
No matter where you live, inclement weather can strike at any time, sometimes unexpectedly. While you might think of wind as being the worst type of weather for roofing, hail can cause even worse damage. This is especially the case if you live on the U.S. East Coast like Washington, D.C., Virginia, or Maryland. All of these states continue to have rough winters,often with occasional hailstorms.
If you live in these areas, have you inspected your roof lately after experiencing recent hail? No matter if the hail pellets are small, the damage can become excessive. However, some damage can become hidden for a while until you start noticing leaks in your home.
Signs to Look for in Asphalt Shingle Damage
We all know when hail turns into the size of baseballs, the damage can often become exponential. One of the most obvious signs of hail damage to your roof is dents in the flashing that goes around the border of your roof. Also, if you use asphalt shingles, you’ll see signs of mineral granules in your downspouts or gutters. This material flakes off the shingles when hail hits the surface.
Some other signs to look out for include:
- Pitted spots in your roof’s asphalt material. These spots can also look tear-shaped based on the size of the pellets.
- Damage or bruising in your shingles. Sometimes you’ll notice this from a distance, though you may need an inspection for subtle damage.
- Cracks in your asphalt shingles. These aren’t always evident without a professional inspection from an experienced roofing contractor.
Keep in mind, these are just general signs with common asphalt shingles. You’ll find more distinct signs of damage in other roofing material used.
Damage to Slate Tile
You may prefer using slate tile on your roof as an aesthetic advantage. While this material is usually very durable, it can take on major damage from hail pellets.
Punctures are one of the most common signs of damage to slate tile. In cases where hail is severe, these punctures or fractures are usually quite visible and can cause some serious leakage.
During times when hail stones are bigger, it often leaves holes in this material, usually with distinct edges. Corners and edging around the slate tile may have signs of damage as well.
The advantage here is that any holes, pits, pock marks, cracks, or breaks in slate tile are easy to identify. Even so, always have a professional inspection to ensure nothing is overlooked.
Damage to Metal Roofing
As durable as metal usually is to most natural elements, it’s sometimes vulnerable to the most severe forms of hail stones. Many roofing experts note that metal typically holds up better in hailthan the materials above. Another positive aspect is if you do have damage to the metal, it’s readily apparent with nothing much hidden.
You may notice small, medium, or large-size dents in the metal surface if you experience an extremely severe hailstorm. Even if you write this off as cosmetic issues, these small dents start to deteriorate over time and bring rusting. Over time, this is going to lead to possible roof leakage.
Damage severity usually depends on what type of metal material you use, as in aluminum, steel, or copper.
Working With Your Insurance to Get Your Roof Replaced
Once you find out you have severe roofing damage from a hailstorm, a quality roofing contractor can work with your insurance company to get your roof replaced. Sometimes you can even get premium discounts on your insurance if you live in hail-prone states.
At BRAX Roofing, we’ll work closely with you to make sure you get a new roof if hail caused any issues this past winter. We work often with insurance companies to ensure you get completely covered. We’ll repair or replace your roof at reasonable rates and with quality expertise.
Contact us to learn more about what hail can do to all types of roofing materials.
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