Hail causes billions of dollars in property damage every year. In areas at higher risk of severe storms, hail can be a particularly big concern. Some hail damage is easy to spot and repair - for example, a broken window or dented car. Unfortunately, roof damage after a hailstorm is not always easy to identify. Yet, unrepaired damage can lead to serious problems for homeowners. To help you protect your home from severe weather, here’s a guide to roof damage from hail. To learn more or schedule a free Louisiana roof inspection, contact Parish Construction and Roofing, LLC.
How Hail Impacts a Roof
Several factors impact how hail will impact a roof. The amount of damage your roof has after a hailstorm depends on:
- The size of the hailstones
- The speed and direction of the wind
- The type of roofing materials
- The age of roofing materials
- The slope of your roof
Generally, storms with larger hailstones and higher winds result in more substantial roof damage. After a destructive hailstorm, some common types of roof damage are:
- Dents in metal roofs. While metal roofs are durable, large hailstones can cause dents. This is both a cosmetic and a functional problem. Dents look bad on a roof and can lead to cracks, leaks, and water damage.
- Divots in shingles. Hail can cause divots or bruises in shingles. This is often a cosmetic issue, but it can impact the integrity of shingles, leading to leaks.
- Granule loss. Asphalt and shingle roofs have granules, which are the parts of the shingle that give it a sandpaper feel. When a shingle loses its granules, it ages more quickly and can cause your roof to deteriorate faster than it should. Large hail can cause granules to come loose.
- Cracked shingles. Hailstones and high winds can lead to cracks in your shingles. This means your roof has exposed sections, which can cause water damage.
- Weakened seal. High winds during hailstorms can weaken the seal on your shingle roof, putting your shingles at risk of blowing off. This puts your roof at risk of water damage and leaks.
How to Identify Hail Damage to Your Roof
After a storm, it can be hard to determine whether or not your roof was damaged. While serious damage can be easy to spot, smaller problems often go unnoticed. This can lead to serious problems down the road, so you want to ensure you promptly identify and repair roof damage.
After a hailstorm:
- Do a visual inspection of your roof, looking for obvious dents, divots, or missing shingles.
- Inspect gutters and downspouts for dents. Hail damage is easier to spot on gutters and downspouts, and if there’s evidence of damage here, you likely have roof damage too.
- Look in the gutters for granules. If these come loose during a hailstorm, you’ll likely see them in gutters, and they might even cause clogs in your gutters.
- Check other areas of your property for signs of hail damage – for example, siding, decks, windows, and vehicles.
- Ask your neighbors if their roofs were damaged. It’s common for multiple houses to experience similar damage after a bad storm, so talking with neighbors can give you a good indication of whether or not your roof was damaged.
If any of the above steps indicate hail damage, schedule a professional roof inspection.
What to Do if Your Roof Is Damaged by Hail
After a hailstorm, you should repair the damage as soon as possible. Small issues can lead to big problems in the future, including leaks, ice dams, mold damage, rotting wood, electrical damage, and structural problems. To avoid these issues, homeowners should be proactive about repairing roof damage.
The good news is that most hail damage can be repaired, and sometimes it’s as simple as replacing cracked or missing shingles. Plus, hail damage is usually covered by homeowners insurance if a timely claim is filed.
Schedule a Free Baton Rouge Roof Inspection
After a hailstorm, schedule a free roof inspection to ensure your home stays in good condition. At Parish Roofing and Construction, LLC, we have a team of professional roofers who can handle all of your roofing needs – from installation to repairs and ongoing maintenance.
Call Parish today at (225) 364-1007 to schedule a free inspection or sign up for our residential roofing maintenance plan.
