We get our share of storms in East Tennessee. Sometimes they can be severe with damaging hail that can ruin your roof.
When we think of destructive, severe thunderstorms, twisters often come to mind. But, as Matthew Capucci writes in The Washington Post, hail can do much more damage. Most tornadoes are 330 feet wide or less. Compared with hailstorms, their damage paths — often the width of a football field or less — are relatively narrow. Hail, on the other hand, can cover a lot more real estate. And when the clouds are hurling half-pound chunks of ice at you, it can have a pretty nasty impact.
To determine if your roof has been damaged, you must perform a close inspection of the shingles from the roof. Damage is often missed from a ground-level inspection.
Hail can damage your property in many ways. Hail damage to asphalt shingles can cause soft spots or bruising that may or may not be visible to the naked eye. Hail impact will also tend to loosen the hard granules that make up the top surface of the shingle. In some cases, hail will cause enough damage to break through the shingles’ felt matting and cause its fibers to be exposed. Hail will often cause dents or marks on the metal roof venting systems. If you find evidence of damage to the roof vents first, it usually means you may have shingle damage as well.
An experienced structural damage inspector is usually needed to determine if there is actual hail damage. Hail damage may not physically cause leakage for years after a hail storm. If you’re a homeowner and think you may have hail damage, the first thing you should do is call a professional contractor for a free roof inspection. Garrett Construction and Roofing have Haag-certified roofing inspectors who will inspect your roof for FREE. Contact us today!
If the inspector thinks you may have damage, your next step would be to file an insurance claim with your homeowners insurance company. Your inspector can help you through the entire process and restore your roof to new condition.
