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Everything You Need To Know About Hail Damage on a Roof


What is Hail?


It is a type of precipitation that is solid. Not to be confused with sleet that falls in colder regions. It is formed in thunderstorms when the vapor freezes to form ice. Suspended by updrafts, the hail then falls during a storm. Varying in size, hail can cause a wide range of damage to vegetation, homes, cars, and more.


Places like Austin experience weather changes on the extremes ranging from the recent blackout-causing winter storms to some intense hailstorms. It sucks when the hail falls and your roof falls with it. Due to the abrasive nature of hail stones, your roof can be on the receiving end of some serious damage, even when the storm only lasts a short while. There are a few factors determining the extent of the damage including:


Your Type of Roofing Material


There are different types of roofing materials for different homeowners. When the hailstorm hits, your aluminum siding will get some dents, vinyl sliding or wood panels might get cracked while shingles could also get some ugly dings. Even with the strongest roofing materials, there is no escaping a strong hailstorm.



The Speed of the Wind


Sometimes the speed of the wind is fast and menacing, sometimes it's slow and dragging. A lot of damage occurs when the speed of hail is stronger. When a full-size hailstorm hits, your roof might suffer anything from a crack to holes, chips, and outright breakages. After a strong hailstorm, you might wake up to part of your roof on your lawn.


The Size of the Hailstorms


There are hailstorms that produce hail the size of tennis balls while some will be the size of peas. Each kind of hail will result in different kinds of damage, even the smallest bits of it. Because the stones have jagged edges, there is some insane even abrasion on your strongest shingles.


Any Sort of Cover


People who live in a place with a lot of tree cover are less likely to receive the same amount of damage as someone who lives in an open area. The cover does not have to be trees only, it could be a tall fence, good landscaping, or sandwiched between other buildings. If your home is 'covered' the objects covering your home receive the stress of hail on your roof but rather minimized damage.


Assessing Hail Damage on Your Roof


Roofing damage occurs due to a multitude of reasons and some, like water can be easy to tell. However, some signs of damage take a keen eye or an inspector to tell. A good Austin roofing company can help you assess and fix up your roof. The signs of hailstorm damage include:


For wooden roofing


Splits- After a storm, you will notice some splits in the wood. For a bad storm, the splits will be anywhere, in the middle, and on shingle ends. If you notice a shingle is split without rot or other damage on the shingle, a sizable hail landed smack on that shingle.


Dents- Where most splits occur, there will be a dent mark in the middle or at the beginning of it. Sometimes the hail can take out a whole shingle.


For asphalt roofing


Black dents- This is one to tell all signs of damage. If you note many black marks on your shingles, it's probably not a large flock of birds that perched there for a while. The dents feel soft, like the feeling on a fruit that has been hit by something.


Shiny asphalt- Asphalt roofs are supposed to be matte, but if the stuff looks shiny, there was some ice action that took place on it.


Random marks of damage that do not follow a pattern- Because hail falls in an unorganized manner, the dents and scratches after a storm will be all over the roof.

When assessing any type of damage on your roof, your safety should be your priority. Sliding down a roof is not uncommon, so you need some safety shoes. If you do not have a pair of roofing shoes, a well-fitting pair with patterned soles for grip will help. Don't wear sandals or open shoes when going up a roof.


Select some gloves to help you carry out your assessment since there might be broken shingles or sharp edges up there. The ladder you are using should be sturdy. Check it for loose steps. Have someone with you to help move the ladder. Carry some chalk to make the damage. If you think it's too much of a risk, an Austin roofing company can sort it out.


Up On a Roof Roofing Company in Austin can go up and give you a proper assessment of the damage.


Compensation from Insurance For Hail Damage


Depending on the extent of the storm damage, a roof can either be repaired or replaced entirely. Many homeowners have insured their roofs from instances like fire or extreme weather. The insurance company can cover based on the amount of storm damage on your roof. The hail might have caused broken shingles that might have led to water leakages or doubled with the wind it might have blown the entire thing off. Depending on your policy, the insurance can cover repairs or roof replacement.


Due to the extreme weather conditions, some insurance companies have come up with different policies to cover different types of damage.


For hail or wind, the insurance covers the roof's 'actual cash value. This means if your roof was old and had depreciated in value, the insurance will pay up the value of the roof at the time it received the damage. If your roof was old, their compensation might be a lot less than you expect.


However, if your roof is in good shape, you can get the full amount to replace your roof.


If your roof was deteriorating before a hailstorm hit, the insurance company only pays for the damage caused by the hail. Maintaining your roof once in a while goes a long way in keeping your roof in great shape. This way it can withstand a storm.


Preventing Hail Damage


Look for Signs of Stress


Your roof often suffers deterioration or stress from other factors. Cracked or missing shingles will not hold well during any kind of storm. Apart from posing as a safety hazard, it might cost you some of your insurance in the aftermath of a storm. Contact an Austin roofing company to carry out an assessment and carry out routine maintenance.


Keep the trees off


A tree or part of it falling on roofs is a common occurrence during storms. To prevent more damage from coming to your roof during a storm, prune the tree branches. If you do not, the storm will do it for you and leave it on your roof. You do not want that happening.


Clear out Your Gutters


During the hotter seasons, a lot of leaves and gravel might end up on a roof. In a storm, the organic matter ends up in your gutter. If uncleaned, they clog up the gutter, meaning the water from the hailstorm will overflow back onto your roof. The gravel or mud will cause a lot more damage because it has no fast outlet. Cleaning gutters is a small job you can do when free.


While you cannot control a storm, you can do a pretty good job of ensuring your roof keeps you away from it. Consult with a roofing company frequently, fix up damage once you notice it, and keep records of it all the time.


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