How to Identify, Fix, and Avoid Roof Hail Damage

When a hailstorm damages your roof, it’s critical to make repairs right away. The damage from hailstones can lead to water damage if left unrepaired. Here’s how to spot and fix hail damage to your roof. When you’re a homeowner, hailstorms can be more than an inconvenience—they carry the potential to damage your vehicles, property, and even your roof. Under the right circumstances, roof hail damage can be quite severe, which can lead to other problems if left unaddressed.
While dings and dents in your vehicle are unsightly, they don’t generally impact your ability to drive your car. However, hail damage can impact your roof’s lifespan and effectiveness. For instance, if a hailstone pierces your roof, you’ll end up with a leak the next time it rains, which could lead to serious water damage to the inside of your roof and walls. Water damage is one of the worst issues you could have to deal with as a homeowner. And the damage isn’t usually apparent until it’s too late. To prevent expensive repairs from water damage, it’s critical to repair roof hail damage quickly.

To identify roof hail damage, you’ll need to look for harm to your shingles based on the material they’re made from. The best way to assess potential damage is to call a professional to schedule a hail damage roof inspection. If you aren’t sure what you’re looking for, it’s not worth the risk of getting up on your roof. Calling a professional is the better option.
One of the key indicators of roof hail damage, regardless of the material, is random damage across your roof that doesn’t seem to have any pattern. Here are some of the other most common indicators of hail damage:

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  Spot Hail Damage to Composition and Asphalt Shingles
  Signs of damage to asphalt and composition shingles includes:

  • *Black spots across your roof
  • *Areas that feel soft and have a tiny bit of ‘give’
  • *Shiny surfaces on your shingles
  • *Shingles that have lost their protective granules
• ✔
  Spot Hail Damage to Wood Shingles
  Signs of damage to wood shingles include:

  • *Split shingles that display sharp edges with little or no signs of deterioration, and a brownish-orange color
  • *Visible impact dents where the shingles split
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  Damage Can Be Confused for Hailstone Impacts
  Sometimes, other types of roof damage can look like hail damage. For instance, long-term exposure to the sun, wind, and rain can wear down your shingles, making them brittle and worn. Exposure to the sun can cause shingles to blister and crack, which is often mistaken for hail damage.
  In addition to hail, there are other causes for granule loss, including knocking algae and moss off with a broom or power washing your roof. Shingles will fade over time and become worn as they age, but it’s not always an indication of hail damage.

The severity of damage to a roof during a hailstorm will depend on several factors, including:

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  The Size and Density of the Hailstones
  Tiny hailstones probably won’t do any real harm, but stones as large as a baseball can cause damage. And hailstones larger than a baseball can actually puncture your roof. Also, hailstones aren’t smooth—their jagged edges can add to the damage.
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  Wind Speed and Direction
  A strong wind can cause hailstones to hit your roof harder, causing more damage than they would have otherwise.
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  Your Roofing Material
  Different materials will absorb the impact of hailstones in distinct ways. For instance, if you have aluminum gutters and siding, you can expect some dents. Hail can also cause wood and vinyl siding to crack. If your roof is older, it won’t be able to withstand hail as well as a newer roof.
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  Barriers That Prevent Hailstones From Hitting Your Roof
  If you have anything in the way that will block hail, like trees, fences, or outbuildings, this could reduce the potential for damage. However, hailstones can come from any angle and direction, so barriers won’t always protect your roof in a hailstorm.

You can’t prevent hail storms, but you can prepare your roof to withstand hail damage from a future storm. This might require repairing or replacing your roof, and we can help you determine which option is right for you. Repairing your roof is the most affordable option and, in many cases, it’s all that’s needed. However, if you have additional issues with your roof, a roof replacement might be ideal. This way, you’ll have a hail-resistant roof while simultaneously fixing other issues.
If you decide to replace your roof, you’ll want to use impact-resistant material that will prevent major damage during future hailstorms. This is especially important in areas prone to hailstorms.

When you need to fix hail damage to your roof, you need a professional, licensed contractor to do the job. Contact us today to schedule your free roof inspection We repair residential and commercial roofs and will work with your insurance company to maximize your payout and minimize your out-of-pocket expenses. If you’ve noticed damage to your roof after a hailstorm, schedule a free, no-obligation roof inspection. We’ll send someone out within 24 hours to assess the potential damage to your roof.