It should be no surprise that hail can be pretty damaging, but did you know hail storms account for an estimated $1 billion in yearly damages? Buildings, cars, houses, landscaping, and crops are all at risk when a significant hail storm ensues. Many people forget to check the less obvious signs of hail damage, especially roof damage. Let’s discuss how hail can impact your roofing and the steps you can take to avoid progressive damage.
How Does Hail Damage Affect your Roof?
When large hailstones fall from the sky, they can easily cause significant damage. When raindrops are blown upward into a cold atmosphere which causes them to freeze, some hailstones form into ice particles that can be as big as a golf ball. Imagine the impact of a golf ball-sized piece of hail slamming down on your roof at 100 MPH. The effect can be devastating.
Hail impacts roofs differently based on the type of roofing materials you use. For example, asphalt shingle damage can look like black divots or shiny areas in the asphalt, while metal roof damage can look like dents or cracks.
The best way to protect your roof is to watch for signs of damage after any storm. Check your roof if you notice hail damage to your mailbox, AC unit, siding, car, or grass. Look for these signs of hail damage:
- Loss of granules
- Asphalt or mat that appears shiny
- Areas that are soft to the touch
- Split shingles
- Impact marks
- Dents
- Cracks
Exploring the Risk of Hail Damage
The real risk of hail damage lies in the potential for progressive damage. While significant hail storms can cause noticeable damage, minor problems can lead to catastrophic issues. For example, tiny cracks in your asphalt shingles can allow water to leak into your home, and minor dents can eventually require total roof replacements when ignored.
Even worse, if hail damage isn’t repaired in a timely fashion, your insurance company can consider it neglect. Your insurance won’t cover repairs or replacement when the damage is deemed to result from negligence. To avoid these problems, hiring a professional roofing company is important to inspect your roof after any major storms, especially hail storms. Strong winds can seriously damage roofs, necessitating expensive repairs or a complete replacement. Check out our post Types of Roofing Damage Covered by Homeowners Insurance if you have an interest in learning more about the many types of roofing damage that homeowners insurance covers.
Repair Your Hail Damage with Our Roofing Company in Fayetteville AR!
Fortunately, your homeowner’s insurance policy covers most hail damage repairs. Since insurance companies frequently deal with these roofing problems (with severe weather encompassing nearly 70% of insured property losses), you’re likely to get coverage approval quickly.
It’s critical to repair any type of roof damage as quickly as possible. The longer you leave your roof in disarray and exposed to the weather, the higher chance you’ll experience more extensive damage. Work with a reliable roofing company to inspect and repair your hail damage. A reputable company will even help you with your insurance claims.
At FES Roofing, we’re here to help you pick up the pieces when disaster strikes. The faster you hire a professional roofer to fix your hail damage, the less likely you will experience more significant problems and pay out-of-pocket expenses. If you think you have hail damage to your roof, contact us today to schedule a free consultation and get the peace of mind you deserve when the storm subsides.
