Imagine that you are sitting in the living room watching tv when you start to hear large noises coming from the outside. You jump to see what is going on and notice chunks of ice dancing on your car and driveway. A hail storm has just ensued. Hail storms can be a homeowner’s worst nightmare. The damage impacted by mother nature on your roof could be devastating. Fortunately, not all hail storms are hugely destructive. What does hail damage on a roof look like? Loose roofing materials, damaged shingles, cracked clay, and bruising, are signs of hail damage.
Let’s take a look below at some more details regarding hail damage.
How Does Hail Damage The Roof?
Unfortunately, mother nature can be very violent. In this case, a hail storm can inflict considerable damage on your roof. Let’s take a look at how hail can damage the roof.
- Hail size – The size of the hail can determine how considerable the damage will be. The larger the hail the more damage is likely to occur.
- The wind direction – How your roof is situated and where the storm is coming from can determine how damaging the hail will become.
- The slope of the roof – How sloped your roof is can determine if the hail will cause major damage.
- The age of the roof – How old your roof is can determine how easily the hail can damage your roof. The older the roofing materials, the more likely they are to become damaged.
- The type of roofing materials – Whether you have shingles, clay, or metal roofing materials, will determine the extent of the damage. Shingles can survive a bit, clay will likely shatter, and metal can become dented and less secure.
A dented metal roof can cause considerable cosmetic concerns. The aesthetics of your home will be considerably changed by the hail damage on your roof. Hire a professional to inspect for bruising of the shingle, structural changes to the roof, loss of granules, and other damage that may have occurred.
What Does Hail Damage Look Like?
A major hail storm can do considerable damage to your roof. Whether you have shingles, clay, or metal roofing material, they can all experience some major damage. Let’s take a look below at what the damage might look like.
- Seal damage – Hail can impact your roof so hard that it can damage seal stripping. If this occurs, the shingles on the roof can become loose and will likely blow away. Getting up on your roof allows you to see if there was any seal damage.
- Shingle cracks – Strong hail storms can often crack and dent your shingles. If you experience cracks in your shingles, this is not good. Openings on the roof allow for water to get in and can cause major damage.
- Loss of granules – Once the hail starts dinging the shingles, the granules get loose and wash away with the storm. This is bad for the integrity of your shingles. It is noticeable when you inspect.
- Exposure of the fiberglass mat – Hail falling from the sky can be so forceful that it can loosen your shingles and expose the fiberglass mat beneath.
- Fiberglass mat damage – The exposure of your fiberglass mat means that the mat itself can also become damaged. Damage to the mat can then cause damage to the roof sheathing underneath.
Other Recommended Maintenance
Now that you understand what hail damage can look like on your roof, this might be a good time to read up on what shingles are made of. That way, you can also determine how they might become damaged from hail.
Next, it is important to have a roof inspection checklist with you at all times. Consequently, this allows you to follow along while your roofing contractor and home inspection team inspect the roofing damages.
Lastly, if you don’t have gutters attached to your roof, it is likely going to cause a runoff concern. During a hail storm, the hail will likely pool up around your foundation, this type of roof runoff can end up damaging your foundation. So, look into installing a gutter system.
When Do I Call A Professional?
If you ever experience a hail storm then it is necessary to reach out to your local home inspection team to inspect the damages. You will want to know what they have discovered so that you can get a proper estimate from your local roofing company. Hiring a licensed roofing contractor is key to ensuring that you don’t get ripped off and that your roof is properly replaced. Also, your local home inspection team can recommend a reputable professionally licensed roofing contractor.
Conclusion
Dealing with roofing issues is something that is hard to control. In some cases, mother nature can destroy your roof and in other cases, your roof just gets worn down with age. If you experience a major hail storm, you will want to call on a professional home inspection team to take a look at the damages. They can give you a report for your local roofing company to evaluate what is needed. Reach out to Honor Services for your Home Inspection, Wind Mitigation Inspection, and full roof inspection in Brevard County, FL.
