What does Hail damage mean for my roof?

As we move into the summer months and the temperature starts to heat up, this means the opportunity for severe thunderstorms and the potential for hail. Once there has been hail associated with a thunderstorm, it is in your best interest to have a reliable roof inspector come out and check for damage. If there is damage caused by hail, most likely you will not be able to see from the ground.

• What does hail do to a roof? Shingles are made of granules that are designed to block the UV
  rays of the sin, and protect the asphalt underneath. Hail can increase the loss of granules which then leaves the asphalt exposed, which in turn leads to brittle shingles. Basically this means aging roof shingles.
• What does my roof look like when it has hail damage? It will look like a dark spot where the granules have been knocked off, and the asphalt may be exposed. During the Initial hit, the dark spot may look shiny because the asphalt has just been exposed and has not had time to age.
• Why are there more roof shingles to replace then just the area that was hit? The amount of shingles that will be removed from your house, are actually the square feet that it will take to shingle your house. Some shingles will have to be cut to fit the dimensions of your roof. Therefore, it is in a roofer’s best interest to buy more shingles for the areas that need more specific sizes.
• Should I have my roof replaced right away, if there has been hail damage? Hail damage does not mean immediate replacement. It depends on how severe the damage is. Just keep in mind that your insurance company may have a statute of limitations for how long you can process a claim. Plus, because you can’t see the damage, waiting may cause further damage to your roof that will be more costly.

It is also good to have your insurance adjustor and your roof inspector to come out and look at the same time, when inspecting hail damage. If there is still a discrepancy, hire another roof inspector.

At Bell Roofing, we offer to come out and inspect your roof and create a free estimate for you. If you hire us to work on your roof, we also want to be in contact with your insurance adjustor so that we are all on the same page with costs.

If you think you have hail damage, don’t delay, call Bell Roofing today!