Hail damage is one of the most common forms of roof damage. Hail damage costs close to $1 billion in insurance claims in the United States. A hail storm does not need to be particularly strong to cause roof damage. It is important to be able to quickly assess your roof for damage.
A qualified roofing company can come and check your roof for damage. They should be able to let you know if it is necessary for your roof to be repaired or replaced. They can also advise you if it is necessary to contact your insurance agency to file a claim.
Here are some items that the roofing company representative will be checking for. If you feel confident in doing a quick visual inspection on your own, these are the items you should be looking at as well.
Shingles
The damage to shingles caused by hail will result in a random pattern of indentations of varying sizes on the roof. The indentations may be visible to the eye, but should be able to be felt by touching the shingles. Severe hail storms may leave holes in the shingles.
Downspouts/Gutters
If your home has gutters and downspouts, they can give you information about possible damage to your roof. If there is a significant amount of granules in the gutters or coming out of the downspouts, it is possible that there has been some damage to your roof. This can also be caused by general aging of the shingles, but if there are other indications of hail damage, this can strengthen your case.
Leaks
A leak starting after a hail storm is a strong indication that there is damage to the roof. On the other hand, the absence of leaks does not mean that there is no damage. The roof can have hail damage without immediate leaking.
Roof Vent Caps
The roof vent caps are normally made of a thin aluminum. It is easy to see the dents left in the roof vent caps from hail. Although the roof vent caps will still function correctly, the presence of dents will often make it easier to see where the hail struck the roof.
If you want more information about roof damage from hail storms or have any questions, please visit our website at www.apextx.com, call us 817-239-8744 or view our YouTube Channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/ApexRoofingInc.
