Hail is one of the primary causes of roof damage in the USA. When a ball of ice hits your roof, it can dislodge your asphalt shingles or cause granular loss, exposing and subjecting your roof and your entire home to UV damage and other related issues. Hail can also bruise, split, or crack the shingles themselves. A hailstorm is a weather disturbance that is difficult to prepare yourself and your home for. This is why you should learn more about repairing hail damage – so you will know what to do should a hailstorm hit your area.
The Dangers of Hail Damage
Your roof may not show signs of damage immediately after a hailstorm, especially if the hailstones didn’t seem big enough to worry about. Some homeowners don’t even bother to check their home and roof, thinking that hailstones so small cannot possibly cause any damage.
However, whether big or small, hailstones can actually bruise not only the shingles but the underlayment of your roofing as well. This can weaken the protection that the roof system is supposed to provide for your home. You may not notice it right away, but this can bring about a myriad of problems, including roof leaks.
Checking for Roof Hail Damage
Identifying hail damage to your car, windows, and outdoor furniture can be pretty straightforward and easy. However, knowing if your roof sustained damage can be a little more difficult. This is why it is best to hire a professional roofer who is trained and experienced to perform a thorough hail damage inspection on your roof. But if you wish to give your roof a quick check yourself, here are things that you can do:
● Check to see if any metal roof vents, flashing, or metal valleys on the roof appear to be dented
● Check the ridge cap of the roof for dents
● Inspect shingles for signs of damage
● Take photos of possible damage and, if you can, a sample of the hailstones that hit your home
Contracting Roof Repair Services for Hail Damage
Once it has been determined that your roof did, indeed, sustain hail damage and you have finished dealing with your insurance company, get the problems addressed right away. Keep an eye out for storm chasers making rounds in areas that have recently been hit by a hailstorm, however. Do not fall for their too-good-to-be-true offers; hire only a legitimate roofing company that has the experience and a proven track record in providing hail damage roof repair services.
In the next post, we take a look at attic insulation, one of the important roofing jobs that you need to learn about, so stay tuned!
