Hail Damage To Shingles
Common Insurance Misconceptions Regarding Hail Damage
If your home has recently been through a severe hailstorm, it is possible your roof has experienced at least some hail damage. This weather phenomenon can destroy shingles, chimneys, and any metal roofing parts. As time goes on, this can cause even more serious issues with your roof, including leakage. That is why it is crucial to have your roof inspected by an insurance adjuster. The following are some common misconceptions insurance coverage after a hailstorm.
There Are No Visible Issues With the Roof
Your roof will need to be inspected by a qualified adjuster to ensure that there is nothing wrong with the home. The adjuster will look at any problems around the shingles, vents, and chimney. They will also take a look at the guttering and downspouts to ensure they are still working properly. Hail damage is not always easily visible, so it is crucial to have a professional assess the area.
The Shingles Are Present
It is not uncommon to find shingles strewn about after a storm with significant amounts of wind and hail. Although this is caused by the wind it doesn’t mean that heavy rain can’t cause problems as well. The strong impact on shingles can cause them to become brittle. The likelihood of roofing problems will be strong if any sandy substance appears in the downspouts.
Roof Hail Damage: What Should You Do?
There’s a good possibility that you will require an inspection for roof hail damage at some point if you reside in Texas.
Thunderstorms are frequent in Texas and other states of the central region. These storms are often brutal and can cause massive property damage due to wind, lightning and hail. While tornadoes are generally viewed as the most destructive part of a storm, they usually only damage just a few structures prior to they disperse. A hailstorm may often hit hundreds of homes in major cities when it passes through. The damage to your roof can be seen from the ground. However, most often an inspection of the roof is required to determine the extent of the damage. If your home has been damaged by hail, you will need to have an initial inspection, call the insurance company, and then select a roofing contractor to carry out the required work.
Top Signs of Hail Damage On Your Roof
1. Check for loose asphalt granules near your down spouts
Hail may cause hail to strike your roof and knock off the top layer of granules from your roofing shingles. In combination with rain, these granules end up in the drainage system and where the water runs out from the downspout. To check for loose granules, check the gutters as well as at the end the downspout. You will know if your roof is damaged if you see loose particles.
2. Dents in gutters, downspouts, and any other metal components
Hail will scratch or ding metals that are thinner, such as the metal on down spouts and gutters. It is easy to check for dents by running a piece of sidewalk chalk over the down spout. Indentation means that the chalk doesn’t appear on the downspout. Check other items in your yard, including barbecue grills, garage doors, metal siding and patio furniture, as well as lighting fixtures and yard art. If there is evidence of dings, then your roof is probably damaged as well.
3. Check your A/C unit
A/C units are equipped with condenser coil. This coil is made of fine aluminum fins that are usually exposed on the unit. If hail strikes the fins, they are bent and stop moving air through them for heat transfer. Even if only 10 percent of the fins are bent, this could result in an impact on the unit. If you notice that your unit has bent fins this is a strong sign of hail damage to the roof.
4. If you’re feeling comfortable, climb an incline to the top of your roof.
From the roof’s edge it is possible to see loose granules floating in the gutters. You can also try to find dents on vents or find holes in valley metal. Hail damage on roof shingles can be difficult to detect with the untrained eye.
5. Keep up-to-date with the most recent news
If you were not at home when the storm hit, ask your neighbors or check on news reports. Just because cars aren’t dented, doesn’t mean your roof isn’t damaged. Since asphalt shingles do not contain metal, they’re more prone to being damaged than cars.
A Quick Guide to Identifying Hail Damage and Getting It Fixed
Hailstorms are unpredictable and scary. At one moment it may appear to rain, and then huge spheres of ice start falling down. While you can seek shelter for your vehicle however, nothing is done for your home. There are steps you can take to safeguard your property following an accident.
After a storm has passed, inspect your home for damage caused by hail in order to prevent any further damage from happening. After a storm, your roof is often the first to be damaged. It’s all about the materials were employed.
If you’re a homeowner with a metal roof look at the upper and lower regions as they are more prone to scratches. If any seam within the metal surfaces is damaged, your house could be prone to water leaks. Take a look at the soft metal surfaces around your home such as gutters or vents and siding for any signs of damage or deterioration.
Does Your Roof Have Hail Damage? Here’s How to Tell
As a homeowner or business property owner, you are susceptible to numerous events that could cause sudden damage to your property caused by nothing more than the forces of nature. There are many factors that could damage your property such as falling trees, strong winds tornadoes, and more among the most prevalent and demoralizing problems that weather could result in is hail damage.
The damage caused by hail is not easy to prevent. A hailstorm of sufficient size could cause serious damage to a roof. A hail damaged roof can refer to anything from minor scratches and depressions on the roofing shingles, to perforations that cause leaks in the roofing boards as a whole. It is crucial to assess and repair roof damage as quickly as possible to minimize further damage to your property. What can you do to determine if hail has damaged your roof after an event of hail? How do you identify storm damage?
There’s no time to examine your roof prior to spring showers.
It’s possible to identify hail damage if you have the right information. Understanding the condition of the roof prior to the hailstorm is among the most effective ways to identify any damage. Anyone who is aware that the roof is in great order prior to a hailstorm affecting it will have a reliable basis to determine the exact extent of damage caused by the hailstorm. Of course, perhaps the roof is already damaged. In this case, identifying hail damage is just a bit more work.
Hail Damage To Shingles FAQS
If There is Only a Small Amount of Damage, Should I Still Repair My Roof?
Even if you only have a small amount of damage, you must have it repaired to protect the true structural integrity of your roofing system. Neglecting to repair small damages can lead to costlier ones down the line, like water damage.
Will My Insurance Carrier Drop Me if I File a Roof Repair Claim?
Since storm damage is something that is mostly out of your control, it is very unlikely that your homeowners’ insurance carrier will drop your policy. In fact, it is illegal for them to do so in most states. It is possible that there are exceptions to this rule, but in most cases, your policy will not be canceled for filing a storm damage repair claim.
Will My Insurance Carrier Increase My Rates if I File a Roof Repair Claim?
It is common for insurance carriers to raise everyone’s rates across the board after a severe storm or natural disaster. One way to look at this is that you should file a claim for repair since you are already going to help pay for everyone else’s. It is possible that there are exceptions to this rule as well.
Why is My New Roof Not Covered By the Manufacturer’s Warranty?
It is very common for roof product manufacturers to exclude hail repairs in their warranties. In fact, several warranties specifically name hail as a non-covered repair. Keep in mind that newer roofs are more prone to hail damage since they have not yet had ample time to cure and gain resistance against the natural elements. To avoid this problem, talk to a trusted contractor about the affordable hail damage protection options available to you.
Do I Have Storm Damage if All My Shingles are Still Intact?
Missing shingles are not the only indication of storm damage. A storm can cause all sorts of problems for a roof, many of which are undetectable at first glance. For this reason, it is important to understand that your roof may still have been damaged in a severe storm even if it looks like it is in the same condition as before.