Why Is Hail Damage Bad For A Roof

What Does Hail Damage Look Like On Asphalt Shingle Roofs

Hail damage visible from ground level: Start by looking for evidence of hailstorm damage from the ground: mineral granules from asphalt roofing may appear at the ends of downspouts metal components such as metal siding, air conditioner or heat pump condensers, and of course automobiles left outdoors may be dented or damaged.

Watch out: before investigating further, what we know from the photo above is that mineral granules have washed off of the roof on this building we don’t yet know the cause of granule loss.

The Factors That Cause Hail Damage

The Homeowners Guide To Hail Roof Damage

Winter is a time of stress for many homeowners. The risk of frozen pipes, ice dams, and other snow-related problems are always a risk. Yet there is one type of winter weather you might not have given much thought to hail.

Unlike snow, hail attacks your home as chunks of ice, varying in both size and velocity. Your windows are the most obvious risk during a hailstorm, but it can also damage your roof. This can mean costly repairs, especially if you dont catch the damage early.

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Does Putting A New Roof On Your House Add Value

That new roof will increase the homes value by $15,427, on average. That works out to 68 percent of the investment. The National Association of the Remodeling Industry released a remodeling impact report that found new roofs provide a 109 percent return, which means you could make a profit on your new roof.

Hire A Roof Hail Damage Repair Specialist In Greenville

If you inspect your roof and notice that there is some damage from hail, it is important to call your insurance company and have a professional come and take care of the problem right away. Many homeowners put off doing this because they assume the damage is not too bad.

Leaving roof hail damage or other roof damage for too long can erode at your roof and cause damage to external parts of your home as well. If you get the area taken care of right away, the problem will not be so bad. Call a specialist at Lanier Roofing at 990-4836 today to discuss your damaged roof.

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Learn Whether The Hail Damage Is Functional Or Cosmetic

Hail damage can be described as either functional or cosmetic functional damage is hail damage that affects the overall integrity and potential longevity of the roof and shingles, and perhaps the capability to even use or inhabit the property safely.

On the other hand, cosmetic hail damage may not be pretty, but it doesnt affect the functionality or long-term health of the roof.

It is essential to determine what type of damage your issues are classified as, since the American Association of Insurance Services introduced a Cosmetic Damage Exclusion which paves the way for insurance companies to avoid paying out claims for mere cosmetic damage.

That said, if your roof is actually functionally damaged the insurance company and their inspectors may attempt to claim that it is only cosmetically damaged in order to avoid coverage.

This is why you need your own public adjuster and their team of roof inspectors, contractors, and other professionals to make sure that you get the payout you deserve.

Quick Things That Point To Roof Hail Damage

Dented Gutters & Downspouts

Look for dents and dings on gutters and downspouts. If a hailstorm has struck your area, hail stone impacts will often show up in small dents and dimples in metal gutters and downspouts.

Mailbox Damage

A dented or cracked mailbox may indicate a recent hail storm came through the area. Look for cracks or holes in plastic mailboxes or dents in metal mailboxes.

Hail Splatter Marks on Driveway

Hailstone impacts may remove dirt, grime, algae from driveway surfaces, indicating size and direction of hail fall. Look for splatter marks on your driveway that are lighter than surrounding areas on driveways or sidewalks.

Damaged Siding

Check your homes siding for splatter marks, dents, cracks, paint chips or holes. In heavy hail storms, this damage will be obvious. But smaller hailstones can also cause damage that may point to hail damage on your roof.PRO TIP: Soak aluminum siding with water from a hose before photographing to make damage more apparent.

Damaged Windowsills/Casings

Check windowsills and casing for small cracks, dents and dings. Check caulking for tears or signs of impact. Also check window glass for small cracks.

Torn Window/Door Screens

Hail sometimes causes tears or holes in metal and fiberglass window screen mesh.

Broken or Cracked Glass

Look for any impact marks, cracked or broken glass on doors and windows.

Door Dents or Paint Damage

Inspect metal doors for dings or dents, or look for chipped paint or stain on wood doors.

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How To Know If You Have Hail Damage

Any hail over the size of a dime will likely cause a dent or scratch. In shingle roofs, hail strikes can shift the granules of the shingles and loosen or dislodge them from the tar. During the next rainstorm, more of the granular will be lost, exposing a bald spot. Sun exposure will start evaporating the tar in these bald spots and reveal the reinforcing mat within the shingle, making your roof even more vulnerable. Water can easily penetrate these bald spots and cause leaks and severe damage.

Metal Roof Hail Damage

Shingles can be tricky when it comes to spotting hail damage, but they’re not the only type of roof out there. You have others like wooden shake, clay, slate and metal roofing.

Wood shingles will split right down the middle after being struck by hail. Clay & slate roofing will have cracks and/or gouges, and metal roofing will have impact dents like we saw on the gutters at the beginning.

Metal roofing is one of the easiest to spot for hail damage.

Here are some examples of hail damage on a metal roof.

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How To Tell If You Have Hail Damage From The Safety Of The Ground

I dont recommend for anyone who doesnt know how to walk on a roof safely to check for the damage mentioned above. Theres no reason to put yourself in danger when your insurance company sends someone out to check it.

But I understand wanting to do your due diligence before filing an insurance claim. Below is a list of things to check for visible hail damage from the safety of the ground:

• Downspouts
• Dings or strikes to your garage door
• Holes in your window screens
• Dings to any painted wood or shutters
• Splatter marks or dings to your electric meter, AC unit, or grill
• Dents to your mailbox and other soft metals on your property
• Dents on the top of your car and the cars hood

This list doesnt mean your roof has extensive hail damage. It just gives you an idea if you should contact your insurance company and file a claim.

For an easier way to walk around your property and check for these signs, get your free Storm Damage Checklist.

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Our roofing company has offices in both Loveland, CO and Cheyenne, WY. We will also be expanding to Colorado Springs in the near future so that we can better serve our clients across the entire front range! Along with roofing projects, we are also certified general contractors and work on exterior projects including gutters, painting, siding, and deck installation. Contact us today to get a free estimate on your next project!

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Do I Have To Pay A Deductible For Hail Damage To My Roof Or For Other Hail Damage

Following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, insurers decided that homeowners in states susceptible to hurricane and wind damage needed to pay more for protection.

“There are two kinds of wind damage deductibles: hurricane deductibles, which apply to damage solely from hurricanes, and windstorm or wind/hail deductibles, which apply to any kind of wind damage,” according to Barry, which notes that these deductibles are based on a percentage of the home’s insured value.

Typically, he says, the deductibles range from 1% to 5% of the home’s insured value, depending on where the home is located and the historic storm and hail damage in the region.

“In some states, policyholders may have the option of paying a higher premium in return for a traditional dollar deductible,” according to the III.”In some high-risk coastal areas, insurers may not give policyholders this option, making the percentage deductible mandatory.”

Again, Barry says homeowners need to discuss their situation with their insurer to know exactly how much coverage they should consider and how much it will cost.

There are currently 19 states that have mandatory hurricane deductibles, which also cover hail damage. They include Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Washington, D.C.

Three Big Ways Hail Can Destroy Your Homes Roof

Hail is literally chunks of ice that rain down on your home. These chunks range from a quarter inch up to a few inches in diameter. The larger the hail, the more damage it can do.

Here are three ways hail can cause significant damage to your homes roof:

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An Insurance Adjuster Comes Out To Your Home For A Hail Damage Inspection

If the insurance company sends out an adjuster, theyll perform an inspection to approve your claim or tell you they didnt find signs of roof damage. If your claim is approved, itll be time to hire a local roofing contractor with experience handling insurance claims.

But if your claim isnt approved, not all hope is lost. You can ask the insurance company to send out a second insurance adjuster to come out just to be sure.

If the second adjuster says no, but youre still sure your roof has hail damage, you can have an engineer come out for an inspection. Theyll offer proof of hail damage to your insurance company and that theres enough to warrant a replacement.

However, your insurance company has all the power to approve or reject your hail damage claim even after going through all these steps.

Roof Hail Damage Repairs

Rain and snow can sometimes cause damage to your roof, especially over time. It can cause mold and mildew when moisture starts to build up. In the winter, the snow can form what are known as ice dams, which can then melt in the spring and cause big leaks in the home.

Home»Roofing»Roof Hail Damage Repair Services in Greenville, SC

Your roof is a very important part of your home. It helps to keep the elements out. It keeps the home warm in the winter and cools in the summer. It can even keep water out so that your attic, and any of your possessions, do not get ruined by the rain. Your roof is even responsible for the outward appearance of your home. When you encounter roof damage from the wind, hail, or another big storm, it can spell disaster for your home.

Most people ignore some of the damage unless it is big because they do not want to deal with the costs and hassle of calling up their insurance company. But if you have roof wind damage, it is important to get the repairs done fast, before it gets worse. A roof repair specialist at Lanier Roofing can help you get your roof restored quickly before the damage gets worse. If you have discovered hail damage on your roof from hail in Greenville, SC, or the surrounding area contact us today for a free repair quote.

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Spot Repair Or Total Replacement

Any shingle that is damaged, even on one tab, must be replaced. Additionally, the shingles two rows up will have to be unsealed and resealed in the process. In effect, this means that 10% of a roof’s shingles being damaged requires about 30% of them to be maneuvered in order to replace those 10%. At 12% damage, over 50% of shingles must be labored over, and it is usually more economical to replace the whole roofing membrane. Also note that, in total replacement, 60% of the cost is labor, but in spot repairs, around 90% of the expense is labor.

Homeowners dread roof damage, knowing how expensive it can be, and for this reason, it is often covered in their home insurance policies. Knowing the basics of how hail affects your roof’s shingles will help you to know when to file a claim, and even if the claim is denied, you will have at least put the incident on record in case the real results of the hail become apparent years later.

Other Things Not Covered

Additionally, since its your responsibility to maintain your home, policies dont cover damage caused by a lack of maintenance. So repairing your roof due to wear and tear, or replacing it because its lifespan is over, wont be paid for by insurance.

Lack of maintenance could also come back to bite you after a storm. If your roof was old or not well-maintained before the storm, you could have trouble getting full reimbursement.

Homeowners insurance also wont cover damage caused floods or earthquakes, including roof damage. If you live in an area at risk for these disasters, consider flood insurance or earthquake insurance.

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The Next Steps Towards Filing A Hail Damage Insurance Claim For Your Roof

Get estimates if it is determined that repairs or even a complete replacement is needed.

Know that many insurance companies will require a certain amount or rate of hail damage for example, 8 plus hits or damage spots on the roof with a 10-foot by 10-foot square area on at least three separate spots on the roof in order to cover the costs of a new roof.

If you are inspecting your own roof to start with, you should use some chalk to mark each damaged spot so the actual inspector or contractors you are working with can find them, and take pictures or video as well.

These images will be especially helpful for your public adjuster.

Note that your safety is paramount and you should never start making these small repairs or climbing up on your roof until the hail storm is over and youve ensured that the area is secure.

If youre not sure, you should wait and contact your public adjuster and theyll help you find professionals who are familiar with hail damage and other issues that can occur after hail storms.

Of course, the type of payout you can get varies by different roof types, your insurance policy, and the extent of the damage in each spot.

This type of knowledge and assistance is where your public adjuster can be particularly valuable.

They can help decide whether there is enough damage to make a hail damage claim on your roof.

What Does Hail Damage Do To A Roof

The severity of hail damage to a roof depends on several factors, including:

Type of roofing materials, age of roofing materials, roof slope, quality of construction…

…as well as hail size, hail density, and hail shape and the velocity and angle of its fall.

Hail damage can also be affected by the number of shingle layers on a roof. Second layer shingles are more susceptible to damage than first layer shingles, because the surface directly underlying the shingle is less supportive than dense wood.

Hail damage can either be ‘functional’ or ‘cosmetic’ in nature.

Functional hail damage refers to damage that affects the integrity and longevity of the roof. Cosmetic hail damage refers to damage that does not affect the viability of the roof to perform its function.

In 2013, the American Association of Insurance Services, introduced a “Cosmetic Damage Exclusion” to allow insurers to avoid coverage for cosmetic damage. However, sometimes, a roof that has been functionally damaged will be passed off as only cosmetically damaged by the insurance company.

A qualified, trained roof inspector will know the difference and can assist the homeowner to make sure the insurance designation is properly assigned.

INTERESTING FACT: Baseball size hail stones fall at nearly 100 miles per hour.

Wood shake, clay, concrete and other dense roofing material types can be instantly cracked or shattered by large hail stones.

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