The Roof Guys: Your Roof and Hail Damage

Roofs, much like everything else in a home, will need time, attention, and maintenance. This is especially true when you have had some recent hail in the area and your roof took a beating. In the United States alone, hail and high-speed winds have been known to cause around $15 billion in damages. This $15 billion would account for near 40% of insurance claims and lead to hundreds of damaged homes.  Not to mention, during a hailstorm, your roof is only one of the many parts of the home taking potential damage, that may be in need of repair or servicing.

So what do you need to do to assess the degree of damage from hail? The Roof Guys have the answers!

First, let us determine what your roof can and cannot handle when it comes to hail size. Most all sizes of hail can produce some wear and tear on your roof, but some smaller bits of hail have minimal effects and don’t need to be worried about as much.

• 1”(the size of a quarter) Hail will have little to no exterior damage to the roof and house, but will affect your plants most of all.
• 25” (the size of a half-dollar) Hail will bring with it minor damage to most roofs and potentially some cracks in siding of the house.
• 5” (the size of a walnut) Hail will result in severe roof damage along with dents in wood.
• 75” (the size of a golf ball) Hail will certainly result in exterior paint damage, and if your car is outside, dents.
• 5” (the size of a tennis ball) Hail will be, well, catastrophic. This hail will break windows, damage crops, and without a doubt need you to have someone (like the Roof Guys!) assess your roofs integrity.

The Effects of Hail Damage to a Roof

Hail is hard hitting and hits the home from most all sides. However, the damage can vary depending on wind speed, the direction of the wind, the roofs main material, age of the material, and slope of the roof. The results of these factors can lead to leaking roofs, which is the main fear, but also other forms of damage and loss of protection.

• Granule Loss– the sandpaper-like texture that is a part of the shingles will be reduced or missing, allowing the elements to accelerate the aging against the asphalt coating. You can check this by looking at your gutters and downspouts after a hailstorm to see if there are granules that have washed down.
• Cracks in the Shingles– High impact hail with a high density can grip the shingles on a roof and cause cracks in the fall, which will cause tears and leave bare spots. Cracked shingles and bare spots offer no protection from the elements.
• Exposed Fiberglass mat– Hail can shatter the shingles, causing them to break away from fiberglass mat underneath, and cause litter on your lawn while also causing your roof to be devoid of protection.
• Fractured Fiberglass mat– Fractured fiberglass can result from points of impact from hail, and are often hard to discern, making them pesky problems.
• Weakened self-seal strip-Hard-hitting hail and high winds can weaken the seal integrity of your shingles, causing the shingles to blow off and leave your roof utterly exposed. Once a shingle is damage, it is permanently out of commission, leading to leaks and potentially letting other shingles get damaged more easily.

Who Do You Call? The Roof Guys!

Naturally, none of these situations sound ideal or comfortable. Which means you will want to keep an eye on the weather and the elements being tossed around on your roof. However, understanding your roofs condition and being able to see the damage takes trained eyes and experience, which is where we come in!

Give us a call at The Roof Guys MN today! Let us assess your homes safety under your roof, and help ensure you and your family are well protected from the ever surprising Minnesota weather!

Phone: (952) 997-4777