What Does Hail Damage Do to a Roof?

What Does Hail Damage Due to a Roof? Good question. Winter is one of the stressful seasons for many homeowners. Dealing with frozen pipes, ice dams, and sometimes the extreme winter weather, hailstones give many homeowners a nightmare. This post will cover the various types of damages that hail can do to your roof and give you descriptions of each damage type so that you can identify them if your home has been victim of a recent hailstorm and get them repaired as soon as possible.

What Does Hail Damage Do to a Roof?

Unlike snow damage, which is relatively easy on homes, hail falls on your roof as a chunk of ice crystal that can be as small as 5mm to as big as 45mm in diameter and at an alarming speed, 49-65 mph. These features can make hail cause severe damage to your home, especially windows and roof. While it is impossible to avoid the impacts of hail on your roof, you can minimize the extent of the damage by:

• First, understanding what hail damage due to a roof
• Knowing what actions to take
• Hiring a professional

One thing for sure is that the bigger the hail, the more damage it will make to your roof. Large hailstones can damage almost any type of roofing to the extent of needing roof damage repair. Big hail will cause damages such as denting, tearing or puncturing on shingles roofs and cosmetic issues for metal roofs due to scratches and corrosion.

The impact of large hailstones on your roof accelerates the ageing and decomposition of the shingle because hailstone affects the composite or the asphalt shingle roof. The consequence of such damages is that it weakens the underlayment beneath, and if not addressed quickly, the repair cost could be alarming.

On the other hand, the small hail may not give you the apparent signs you would get from the impact of large hailstones. But even the tiny quarter-size hail can wear down the premium shingle roof without showing you the obvious signs like dents. Some of the main symptoms of hail damage due to a roof from small hail include but are not limited to:

• Loss of gravel on the shingles- this can be difficult to detect, especially for inexperienced or untrained eyes.
• Bruises on the shingles and loss of the roof’s granules.
• Cracks that can change the appearance and function of the shingle
• Indentations and fractures on the surface of the shingle. This happens when the small hailstones hit the roof randomly for a while

Generally, any hail size, the dime-sized, quarter-sized, or half-dollar size, can cause damage to a roof, and if you have an asphalt roof, you are more likely to be affected compared to a more hail-resistant metal roof. It is also worth noting that a plethora of materials are used for roofing, and many share some qualities. These materials can be categorized under three primary types: ceramic, metal, and shingle or asphalt. Unfortunately, each material shows different signs of hail damage. It is, therefore, important to ask an experienced roofer to check hail damage to a roof if you suspect it has been compromised.

What Actions to Take for a Roof Hail Damage

Sometimes it can be challenging to understand whether the hail damage to a roof is a mere cosmetic or impacts the integrity of your room. If the hail bruises your shingle, it may only affect the roof’s aesthetic, but if the damage allows the roof to pass water, then the performance of your roof is affected and need immediate repair

Hail damage sometimes causes granule loss, specifically on asphalt shingles. This may cause aesthetic and performance issues for the roof because granule shield asphalt from degradation from the sun’s UV light. Though granule loss will not cause your roof to leak immediately, the damage can lead to your roof failing prematurely.

Experts recommend that you regularly inspect hail damage to your roof and look for signs such as granule loss, cracks, loose self-seal strip for an asphalt roof, and scour marks in case of metal roofs. Avoid overlooking notable hail damage to a roof because it can lead to hefty repair costs, and some insurance may hesitate to cover hail damage to your roof claim.

Hiring a Professional Roof Contractor

Hiring professional roofing services to repair or overhaul your roof will save you time, increase safety, and their services come with warranties. Experienced and professional roofers have safety training, understand the best quality roofing material and have access to better quality roofing products.

Sellers Roofing Company has over 12 years experience in navigating hail damage claims and repairing hail damages done to roofs in the greater Minneapolis area. If you believe that your home may have been a victim of a recent hailstorm, it’s always better to get a free inspection to be sure!

Call us now at 651-703-2336 or fill out this contact form and one of our team members will be in touch shortly to schedule your free hail damage inspection!

What Does Hail Damage Due to a Roof? – Final Thoughts

Hail damage to a roof may sometimes be unnoticeable, especially from untrained eyes. However, if the wear goes unrepaired for a while, it will compromise the aesthetic and, eventually, the performance of your roof. We suggest you perform regular roof inspections at least twice a year or hire an experienced roof inspector to prevent not only hail damage but any other damage that can lead to leaks or interior damage and costly repairs in future.