Warmer seasons bring sunshine, greener grass, summer showers, and more time outdoors, but it also opens up the potential for hail-producing storms — a leading cause of damage to your roofing and siding.
Here’s how to identify any hail damage and how to know when it’s time for a repair.
Identify the Size of Hail
The larger the hail, the more damage it can cause. However, even the smallest hail can deface your property.
<1” Hail
Think of the damage a jelly bean and a slingshot can do to a soda can. The same goes for damages from hail less than 1” in size, especially when accompanied by high wind speeds. This pellet-size hail can pierce through window screens, chip away at paint, dent siding and gutters, and dislodge granules from your shingles.
1” Hail and Every ¼” Larger
With every ¼” increase in size, the damages can grow exponentially. Indentions, discoloration, and marks to your roofing and siding will become more evident. Hail at 1” or larger solely dropping from the sky will be severe. Combined with higher wind speeds, hail at this size can crack windows, tear off siding, and permeate through ridge caps, plastic vents, and metal fixturing.
2” Hail and Larger
This is no longer a question of “if” your roofing or siding is damaged, but “where” the damage occurred. Repairs are most likely needed after storms producing 2” hail.
Damages to roof
Wind speed, hail size, type and material of roofing and siding, pitch or slope of your roof, and overall lifetime of your material play into the potential damage from a storm. Identifying the damage is key to nipping any issue in the bud.
The easiest to see after a storm is any flipped-up, torn, split, or lifted shingles. This leads to bruising, fracture, or exposure to the mats housed underneath your shingles, which can result in leaks and other complications.
At a quick glance or from the ground, granule loss will be harder to detect. We recommend leaving this to the pros for your safety. Our roofing experts will inspect your shingles for granule loss. With the shingle’s grit-like texture, hail can chip away at the granules, compromising the shingle’s integrity. This also leads to bruising, fracture, or exposure to the mats underneath. An easy way to detect granule loss is to check your gutters and downspouts for any loose granules.
Other damages include indentions or cracks to metal fixturing, plastic vents, and siding.
If you notice any of these damages, schedule a damage inspection immediately.
Repairs
Although some damages may only appear to be cosmetic, it may have underlying issues that can progress to other complications if ignored, such as rot, mold, leaks, and electrical issues.
After a proper inspection, our trained experts will determine the extent of the damage and plan accordingly for repairs.
We will work with you to find the best solutions for your home. It can be as simple as replacing a few shingles or opting for more impact-resistant shingles during your repair. We will also work alongside your insurance company if you decide to file an insurance claim.
Your home is your sanctuary. Make sure to revitalize your home’s integrity after any damage. Schedule a free consultation with the Royalty Roofing pros or call us at (402) 216-8850.
