Although not every hail storm automatically means a call to your insurance company to report hail damage, you need to know what to look for. It is well-known that the larger the hail stone, the more likely that it will damage your roof. However, that’s not the only factor that determines whether you have damage or not.
Size Can Matter, But Isn’t the Only Factor
Have you ever noticed that sometimes a hail storm damages a few homes on a street but others seemingly have no damage? There are several reasons this may happen. A new roof with architectural shingles that haves impact resistance built in, can resist larger hail stones than older 3-tab roofing. For newer architectural shingle roofs, you generally don’t have to worry about hail that’s up to about the size of a quarter. The direction and slope of the roof may also play into whether there’s hail damage. Finally, the installation also plays a part, although smaller one.
Other Factors that Lead to Damage
The reasons that we can’t definitively say what size hailstones lead to damage is that the duration of the storm, how fast the hail fell and wind all factor in. Wind alone can lead to significant roof damage. When hail is not only falling, but wind is also blowing it into the shingles, a smaller stone may damage your roof.
What to Look For
Although not all hail damage can be seen with the naked eye from the ground, a lot can be. Most hail that leads to roof damage also damages gutters and siding. Of course, if either of those sustained damaged, you need to call your insurance company and start a claim. There’s a good chance that you also have roof damage. However, if your siding and gutters look fine, a few signs that you may have hail damage include:
- Random dark spots on your roof
- Excessive granules in your gutters or downspouts
- Areas of your roof that appear shiny
- Cracked shingles
Not only should you call your insurance company, but also your roofing company. Your roofer can provide you with their recommendation for repair or replacement before or after your insurance adjustor.
Peak Roofing Contractors Offers Hail Damage Repair
We’re storm damage repair experts and accept all insurance claims for roofing, siding and gutter damage. Even if you think you may have storm damage, call us at (703) 753-4585 or fill out our contact form. Remember, you don’t have to use the roofing company your insurance company recommends so call us today for your free estimate.
