A hailstorm can do extensive damage to your property, including the roof, siding, and gutters. Since your roof is one of the most important elements of your house, you should take care of any issues that may develop very soon following a hailstorm. If you believe that your roof has been damaged by hail, you should ensure that your home is secure and dry and create a detailed plan of action for any repairs that may be required.
We’ll walk you through all the necessary steps to help you conduct a full hail roof inspection checklist.
Understanding Hail Damage
It’s important to comprehend how hail can damage your roof before beginning the inspection process. Damage from hail isn’t often obvious right away. Although minor dents and granule loss may not seem like much at first, they can eventually cause larger issues, including leaks and compromised structural integrity.
Hail damage can have a substantial influence on roof shingles in several ways:
Bruising or Denting:
Although they might not be noticed right away, hailstones can cause dents or bruises on shingles. These weak spots may eventually cause more damage.
Granule Loss:
Hail can knock granules from the shingles’ surface. The asphalt layer beneath is shielded from the elements and deterioration by these granules. Granule loss may hasten the aging process of shingles.
Shattering:
Massive or fast-moving hailstones have the potential to break shingles, causing visible and instant harm. Water leaks and damage can result from shingles that are cracked and allow water to soak through.
Shingle loosening:
Hail damage has the potential to loosen or dislodge shingles, weakening the roof’s structural integrity and increasing its vulnerability to leaks and wind damage.
Compromised Waterproofing:
Any shingle damage may make the roof less efficient at keeping out water, which could result in water seeping in and creating other issues.
Inspecting Your Roof for Hail Damage
Now that you have a sound knowledge of hail storm damage, you may begin inspecting your hail-damaged roof. Calling a professional is a smart idea, though, if you are unclear about the safety of your inspection or how much damage was done. Here’s how to check for hail damage on your roof:
Safety First
It is important to remember that safety should come first before you climb onto your roof. To ensure that you walk on your roof safely, consider donning roofing boots or soft-soled shoes. Always make sure your ladder is in excellent operating order, and always carry chalk to indicate any parts that may be damaged. Always have someone outside with you when climbing onto your roof!
Begin With Visible Damage
Looking for damage to gutters and downspouts indicates that your roof has also been damaged. Walk through your house and note any damage to any of those items. Additionally, you could check for damage to your air conditioner, siding, and window sills.
Inspect the Roof Features
It’s time to climb on top of the roof after examining any damage nearby. It’s crucial to examine any roof elements on your hail-damaged roof that might have been affected in addition to the roof itself. Examine any component that may have been damaged, such as skylights, chimneys, and roof vents.
There is a simple fix for spots that are difficult to assess, such as chimney coverings or other locations where the damage isn’t readily apparent. Take a chalk stick and head for the roof. Scatter your chalk on the surface by turning it sideways. This will reveal the locations of hail hit points by highlighting any dents and divots.
Inspect the Shingles
Sometimes, it’s difficult to see hail damage on shingles. It often requires a professional eye to determine the degree of the harm. Here’s what to check for, though, if you decide to examine the damage yourself:
- Noticeable divots or scratches
- Unpredictable circular effect regions
- Circles of dark hue
- Sections where the shingle’s grains have been scattered
A shingle’s integrity has been weakened by hail if granules have been pushed off of it. Over time, this could lead to leaks. With a chalk circle, record the amount of damage sustained at each impact site.
Should I Fix Roof Hail Damage?
If the hail damage is simply cosmetic, your roof might not require repair. It’s better to hire an experienced roof repair company to inspect the damage before writing it off rather than trying to do this assessment yourself.
However, you will need to get your roof repaired if the hail damage compromises the roof’s structural integrity. If you don’t make the necessary repairs, your roof can start to leak, which would undoubtedly cause more issues.
How WABO Roofing Can Help
Changing a roof is never enjoyable. With any luck, these tips will make things easier and spare you a great deal of stress and trouble.
It’s important to realize that not everyone is always able to properly and easily examine and repair roofs. Roofing specialists possess the necessary skills and experience to inspect damaged roofs, assess the degree of damage, and create an appropriate restoration plan. It is advisable to leave the inspection to qualified experts, regardless of how much damage a single shingle or the roof’s features have sustained from hail.
After you’ve conducted your own hail damage survey, it’s time to call in some specialists to take a second look and establish your next steps. Following a hailstorm, the roofing specialists at WABO Roofing would gladly offer you a free estimate. You can reach us by phone or by completing a free estimate request online!
