Hail’s Impact on Your Roof and What to Do About It
Every year in the United States, several thousand hail storms cause billions of dollars of property damage. In Texas, we’re very familiar with the impact of hail, having seen shattered windows, dented cars, flattened crops and other indicators that a serious hail storm has passed through.
Hail also causes damage to both commercial and residential roofs. The amount of damage caused depends on a number of factors, including the size and intensity of the hail, the age of the roof and its condition. After a hail storm – no matter how large the hail stones are – you should immediately do a visual inspection of your roof to look for signs of damage. Here are some indicators.
Obvious signs of damaging hail on shingle roofs include dented gutters, siding and metal panels on HVAC units. You might see missing pieces or dents on shingles that penetrate the top layer, exposing the black asphalt base material underneath. Missing granules from the shingles’ surface could have been caused by hailstones. Any of these signs can mean that the shingle has lost its integrity, leading to leaks down the road. Even a small hail event can lead to future problems.
Commercial roofs can, of course, exhibit the same dents on gutters and other rooftop metal components. Evidence on single-ply membrane roofs may be harder to see, but look for cracks, indentations and/or punctures in the membrane that are obvious indications of hail damage. The membrane itself may still seem watertight, but hail can weaken it, and shorten its life expectancy on the roof. Hail can also damage underlying roofing insulation by breaking its exterior facer. This can decrease its R-value and longevity, and possibly create future membrane durability issues.
A word of caution: severe storms of any kind commonly bring disreputable contractors to an area. Classic “storm chasers,” these companies are notorious for making misleading claims about their capabilities, collecting money in advance, then disappearing without having completed the work. We advise you to not be sucked in by low-cost quotes from shady, out-of-town roofers. For more about the risks of using non-local contractors, read our recent blog article.
In comparison, UNITED Roofing and Sheetmetal has more than 40 years of experience servicing the Bryan / College Station community. Our reputation has been built on providing high-quality, reliable roofing solutions for all our customers. We know the area, we understand the impact that hail has on every type of roofing system, and we have the expertise to repair damage and, if the roof’s a loss, install a new one on your home or commercial building.
An additional benefit of calling on UNITED is our successful history of working with insurance adjusters on hail damage claims. It’s common for adjusters to initially deny hail claims, but UNITED has the expertise to properly identify and document the damage, ensuring that the correct amount of square footage and material is accounted for. As independent damage assessment specialists, our goal is to help ensure that property owners receive the maximum amount of insurance benefits they are entitled to when hail strikes.
If your home or commercial facility has been damaged by hail or another weather event, or if you’re considering a new roof, we would welcome the opportunity to meet with you and discuss options. Please contact us at your convenience.