Whether it’s a “gully-washer” or a “frog-strangler”, after a storm passes, it’s often simple enough to tell if hail has damaged your car, the barbecue grill, or your patio furniture. Anything metal will have a tell-tale dent. But it can be more challenging to spot damage to your roof. Don’t hesitate to call on a professional roofer to asses any damage and (if they’re a licensed company) to tell you the truth. Oftentimes, storm chasing roofers will scout out neighborhoods and tell homeowners that there’s damage – but luckily, they can provide a quick fix. But if there is trouble later, you probably won’t be able to find that guy. He’s off chasing the next storm four counties away!
Keep in mind, any damage to the roofing of your Houston-Metro home can result in very serious problems. Even if the damage seems slight, it can quickly accelerate and lead to leaks or slouches in your roofing. This is why it’s important to have a professional roofer inspect your roofing system about every three years, in addition to giving it a look following a storm if you think there is hail damage. That professional assessment is important because many insurance companies will pay for hail damage, but only once it is recommended by a professional roofer.
To know if you should call in a pro, here are some steps you can take to check for hail damage on your own.
- Examine Metal Parts Damage to metal roof vents, flashing, valleys or boots will have more obvious dings and dents., Solar panels and skylights are also easy to check. Examine those first for any signs of hail damage.
- Check Up Top The ridge cap is flat, so it is really vulnerable to direct hits during a hail storm. Any damage there will be most prominent, but only have a look if you can do so safely! If you have found hail damage on the ridge cap, you can bet there’s probably damage elsewhere on your roof.
- Three Danger Signs of Hail Damage There are three danger signs things you want to be on the lookout for:
- Bruising – this occurs when the hail doesn’t leave a visible dent, but if you run your hand over the shingles, there are small indentations. If you press down and it gives, it could be an early sign of roof deterioration.
- Cracking – when hail hits an already-aging shingle, that force could be the straw that breaks that shingle’s back. Look for visible, circular cracks in the shingles.
- Missing Granules or Asphalt – The granules are the outer protection of the shingles. If you find any missing pieces of asphalt on the roof, or any shingles that have exposed, black substrate, they’ve likely been hit and damaged by hail.
What to Do Next
Watch out for any of these signs, and contact a roofing contractor immediately for an inspection if you do find them.