Hail & Your Home: What You Need to Know
It’s always about this time of year that our city begins to test its tornado sirens. The shrilling noise is a friendly reminder that storm season is right around the corner! Although living in Nebraska is great for so many reasons (low cost of living, friendly neighbors and, of course, Runzas!), our storms are not one of them. According to the Insurance Information Institute, Nebraska had the third most property hail damage insurance claims in the US in 2019, coming in at a whopping 56,897 claims. It’s an inevitable issue that many of us will eventually face, so it’s important to know what to do when the time comes.
How Hail Damage Affects Your Home
Hail damage can impact all exterior finishes on your home. Your roof, windows, doors, gutters, and siding are all at risk when a storm hits. Although these materials are designed to withstand the impact of most weather elements, large, fast-falling hailstones can be destructive.
Hail leaves holes and cracks, which allow water and air to seep through roofing, siding, and windows. If left untreated, moisture build up can cause rotting, mold, mildew, and damage to interior ceilings and walls.
How to Spot Hail Damage
It is important to inspect your home after each hail storm, even if the storm is minor. Here are some things to look for:
Windows & doors
- Torn or dented screens
- Broken or chipped glass
- Dented frames
- Cracked sill or casing
Siding
- Indents
- Holes or chips
- Cracks
- Uneven gaps between siding panels
Gutters
- Dented or bent gutters or downspouts
- Dented or bent gutter guards
Roof
- Black spots on your shingles
- Loss of granules
- Clogged gutters due to loss of granules
- Cracks in the shingles
- Exposed fiberglass mat
In this video, our Director of Operations, Ted, explains how hail impacts your roof.
What to Do if You Have Hail Damage
If your home has been impacted by hail, take photos of the damage and cover any large cracks or holes with tarps or tape. It is also important to contact your insurance company right away. At Royalty Roofing & Renovations, we can serve as your insurance adjuster. This saves our customers time and money (and headaches!) when dealing with their insurance company. Our professional estimators can provide a complete exterior home inspection of your roof, gutters, siding, windows, and doors. Then, we report our findings to your insurance company and work with them to complete the repairs.Although it is impossible to predict when hail will hit, it is important to know how to spot damage and what to do if you experience it. If you have any questions about this topic, please fill out our contact form and we would be happy to chat!
