Hail damage is something that homeowners dread. Having to repair or replace your roof is something that no one wants to face, but it is often necessary, especially after a hail storm. We have addressed the most commonly asked questions about hail damage to roofs.
- How do you know if there is hail damage on your roof? If you`ve had hail around your area, you should examine your shingles to see if they are damaged. Typically, you cannot determine this from the ground.
- What am I supposed to do if I suspect my roof has hail damage? You should call your insurance company and request an adjuster to come and check the roof for any signs of hail damage. Also, you can contact a reputable roofing company and request an inspection. If there are any discrepancies between the findings of the adjuster and the roofing company, you can call for another inspection where the adjuster meets with your roofer to check the roof. Re-inspection is usually common.
- What are the effects of hail on one`s roof? Shingles are engineered so that granules block the penetration of UV light and shield the underlayment, which is made of asphalt. As they age, the granules reduce with time. As the asphalt is unprotected from the UV rays, it becomes dry, and the shingles might develop a “potato chip” shape since the corners and edges start to curl. As a shingle reaches the end of its life span, it may have a bubbled look and be brittle when you touch it. A 20-year-old shingle is guaranteed by the producer to have a beneficial life, under optimum ventilation situations, of 2 decades. Hail causes the following:
- Speeds up granule loss
- Hastens aging of the shingles
- Voids the manufacturer`s guarantees
- Leads to more related issues
- Is it necessary to have a roof replaced immediately? The nature of the damage from hail is that it might have no immediate direct threat to the mechanical integrity of your roof. Numerous insurance providers offer a “statute of limitation” of the period a hail claim is sustainable. If you experience a loss such as this, it is recommended to deal with it in a timely fashion before it results in other related issues. Learn more with Titan Roofing.
- What does a hail problem look like? A hail problem on a shingle appears like a dark blemish where the granules will be reduced in number and the underlayment made of asphalt, and at times the mat made from fiberglass is unprotected. Fresh hail hits have a shiny look since the Asphalt has been freshly exposed and hasn’t had time to wear away to a dull color.
- Will my insurance provider replace the roof? The purpose of insurance coverage is to shield property holders against losses in the value of their property as a result of damage that they cannot control. In case there is hail damage on your roof, you have gone through a financial loss considering your initial investment of a 2-decade roof, for instance, has now been decreased to a lifespan of 5- 10 years. Your insurance provider will reimburse you for the loss by replacing your roof.
- If my roof is new, is it covered by the contractor, manufacturer’s warranty or home builder? Manufacturers mainly mention hail as an exclusion to their warranty, same as home builders as well as roofing contractors. New roofs can be more vulnerable to hail damage as compared to older roofs because of the time it takes a new roof to cure from exposure to the elements.
