So, it’s a beautiful spring day in Texas, and the wind and rain appear as if out of nowhere. It’s raining so hard outside that you can hear it hitting on your Allen home’s roof. All of a sudden, the sound of rain hitting your roof changes and starts to sound like rocks. Hail season is Texas most commonly occurs in the months of April and May. Moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, combined with the dry, West Texas air can be a recipe for disaster…for your roof. Even if a hailstorm lasts only a few minutes, it can seriously cause damage to your home’s roofing system.

 

How does hailstorm damage your roof?

Similar to divots left after an impact by a golf ball, when your roof gets hit by hail, it leaves behind small divots on your roof’s shingles.

As the hail comes down crashing onto your roofing system, it ends up knocking away all the granules from the area of impact and compacts your roof’s layers of asphalt and fiberglass into a small crater. Even though it may not seem like a huge problem to deal with, you can still end up with thousands of small divots on your roof.

They tend to add up quickly, and with time, they will grow. If left untreated for an extended period, they can end up becoming a huge headache for you.

Best Thing To Avoid Hailstorm Damage - Summit Roof Service Inc.

 

How do divots affect your roof’s performance?

If your home’s roofing system is full of small holes, you can expect to find out a few leaks, right? Well, it’s not necessary. Most types of hailstorm damage won’t develop into a leak right away, which is the reason why most homeowners don’t find out if their roof has damage from hail.

Hailstorm damage can greatly increase the natural erosion of your roof’s shingles. When it starts to rain, water will run over these divots and cause your shingles to erode at a much faster pace since the loss of granules has left them vulnerable.

With time, the water will erode your roof shingles to the point that it starts to penetrate the bottom layers, and from there, it will find its way into your house. Here at Summit Roof, we have seen a few cases where a roof that has a 50-year warranty may only last another 5 to 10 years after facing a huge hailstorm.

 

How to spot hailstorm damage on your roof?

If you notice any large pieces of hail scattered around your home after a storm, there is a good chance your home’s roofing system has hail damage. You need to understand that even small pieces of hail can end up creating divots on your roofing shingles.

A good place to start when you, as the homeowner, are trying to look for any hail damage is by inspecting your screens, windows, patio furniture, and doors. Do you notice any new dents in these areas? If so, then it is likely that you have some damage to your roof as well. Things that help you detect any hail damage include:

  • Aluminum window wraps
  • Tin mailboxes
  • Your vehicle
  • Downspouts and gutters
  • Aluminum fascia
  • The deck
  • Anything made of soft metal
  • Vinyl siding

If you find damage in these areas of your home, there is a good chance that your roof took some beating as well. You don’t have to climb up on your roof to check for damages as it is really dangerous without proper training and equipment. Get in touch with Summit Roof for a roof inspection.

 

What should you do now?

Once you are certain that your roof has hail damage, it would be best to call your insurance agent and a professional roofing contractor to discuss further getting it replaced or repaired. Even though all insurance policies vary, in general, most policies will cover all hail damage for you up to two years.

This is why you must inspect your roof immediately after a severe hailstorm, rather than waiting until you notice any signs of leak to take action. The longer you wait before filing a claim, the more likely it will be for your insurance to deny it.

Our professional roofing team strongly suggests that it is vital for you not to hesitate to get your roof inspected after a hailstorm.

Our team hears it all the time from homeowners who are convinced that their roof has not been damaged, either because they cannot notice any signs of damage themselves or because their roofing system is brand new and they don’t think it could get damaged so easily.

Even though it is true that a new roofing system has more protective granules, all that does is hide any hail damage even better.

It does not change the fact that damage is still there, but just harder to see. If this is the case, our team of experts will inspect your roofing system for damage immediately after the storm and later re-inspect it if necessary. The chances are that your roofing damage will show signs after a few rain cycles.

 

How do I schedule a roof inspection?

Summit Roof in Allen, TX, is a premium source of quality siding and roofing repairs, and can help make sure that your roof will keep your family warm, dry, and safe. If you feel that your roof may have any hail damage, give us a call at 972-715-1655 or contact us online to schedule an appointment today. In addition to Allen, we serve clients in cities including Plano, Fairview, Frisco and Grapevine.

Our professional roofing experts will come out to inspect your home’s roofing system and let you know the overall extent of damage. After that, we can work with you to determine the best way to repair or replace your roof.