Why Metal Roofs Are Resistant To Hail Damage
Most of us, at some point or another, have walked out to our vehicles after a storm to see an unpleasant sight: pockmarks on the roof, caused by hail. So it only makes sense that when youre considering having a metal roof installed, you may wonder if that surface will be damaged by hail as well.
Surprisingly, metal roofs stand up much better to hail damage than asphalt shingles, fiberglass shingles or tile. In fact, they are considered the most durable, in many cases. This is because they dont crack or split. Shingles and tiles tend to become more brittle as they get older. So when hail rains down, it can penetrate the surface and result in roof leaks, mold or mildew in the attic and other serious issues. These problems generally start when a roof is about five years old.
With a metal roof, it would take some pretty substantial-sized hail to cause any of these problems. While its true that very large hail might cause dings , it generally wont result in actual damage that will affect the inside of your home. Metal roofs basically act as a very strong barrier of protection from the elements.
A discussion on the topic has been posted on the Metal Roofing Alliance website. After someone asked about hail damage to this type of roof, contractor Todd Miller alleviated the mans fears.
This speaks to the fact that some insurance companies provide a reduced rate for homes and businesses with metal roofs.
Asphalt And Other Soft Tile Roofs
The most common type of roofing material, asphalt roofs may be found on most homes. An examination of asphalt roofs should include the following steps:
What Size Hail Causes Roof Damage
By: Author Ryan M.
Hail is an expensive problem for homeowners. Hail damage is most common during the spring and summer months when hailstorms are more frequent.
If youve experienced storm or hail damage to your roof, its important that you seek professional help as soon as possible. Once a roof sustains hail damage, there can be long-term effects that may be expensive to repair.
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Will Insurance Pay For Hail Damage To A Metal Roof
The roof you have over your head is a true definition of who you are and what you love
A roof over your house is one of the most integral parts of the house. It does not only protect the homeowner but also the house from the elements of weather.
As part of protecting your home, you also need to take up an insurance cover to make sure you can have your home repaired in case of any calamity. But before signing an insurance policy, you should make sure you read, and understand what is covered in the policy.
Here are some of the essential questions you need to answer if you are to make the right insurance decision about your home.
Metal Roof Insurance Discounts: How Much Will I Save
Purchasing a metal roof is a big investment that can cost you $20,000 to $30,000, but it can actually save you money each year. Metal roofs will lessen your heating and cooling costs with energy savings of 7% to 15%.
The bigger savings though?If you live in a region that is prone to hail storms you can save up to 30% on your insurance policy.
Insurance companies realize that replacing a roof is an expensive insurance claim. In fact, they have even raised their deductibles for hail damage in hail prone regions. That means you will be responsible for a much larger share of the damage.
Thats why having a class 4 impact-resistant metal roof is beneficial to both you and your insurance company. It lessens the likelihood that storms or hail will damage your roof, saving you both money and hassle.
If you have a metal roof, it could be eligible to receive an impact-resistant roof discount.
At Western States Metal Roofing, we have been manufacturing impact-resistant metal roofing for over 25 years. Our goal is to answer all of the questions that we get on a regular basis. Weve been asked about insurance savings on a metal roof quite a few times, so it was time to write this article.
In this article we will cover:
- Whats an impact-resistant roof?
- Whats a class 4 roof?
- Are metal roofs a Class 4 roof?
- Does a metal roof lower your insurance premium?
- Insurance savings with a metal roof
- Hail claim deductibles
- How to qualify for the insurance discount
Recommended Reading: Shingling A Shed
What Is Hail And How Does It Form
In simple words, Hail can be defined as a crystallized piece of snow. Many a time, hail is confused with the ice pellets, but thats often not the case. Ice pallets are generally solid precipitation of particles less than 5mm, which are generally spherical and circular but rarely conical in shape.
Ice pallets are generally formed as the raindrops fall through the cold air. The raindrops, as they fall through cold air and clouds, soon lose their temperature and come in Sub-zero temperature.
As they come to Subzero temperature, a thin layer of ice is formed, converting the liquid raindrops. Many a time, while falling through the air, a fall in temperature might be witnessed, thus again converting the ice pallets into raindrops.
The size of ice pallets is far smaller than the size of Hail, so it does not damage any roofs while falling. Many times, while falling through, the thin layer of ice is again broken and again reverts back to its original form, that is, liquid rainwater. Thus it can be said that Hail is generally formed keeping a lot of ice pallets together.
The formation of Hail can be generally witnessed in cold regions. In those regions, and in all other regions as well, the air temperature rises as the height gets increased.
What Do I Do If I Think I Have Hail Damage
If we can see there only one or two roof shingles or shakes are punctured or split, we can remove or replace the shingles with a new one.
- When you see or discover the failed damage on your wooden roof, at first, we have to determine how much damage occurs there.
- For this job you can hire a local contractor, he or she can easily handle this problem.
- If you inspect your roof and find that most of the shingles or shakes are damaged, then you have to replace the whole roof.
Read Also: House Trusses Cost
Hail Damage To Roof Vents And Shingles
Roof vents are almost constructed in every house, and it helps to circulate the airflow in the building and provide a way to enter the sunlight in the building.
Roof vents are generally made with glass, so, due to hailstorms, those glasses are totally damaged, like cracked or totally broken. This creates a huge loss for the owner.
Shingles are also damaged by hail storms. The damages in shingles are- Hail created a huge impact on the asphalt and composition shingles and turned it into the black in color.
Due to Hail, granules in asphalt get removed and become shiny in nature. It is also very harmful to the roof itself also. Slate shingles are getting cracked, totally broken in maximum times. Hailstorm is very dangerous for the slate shingles.
Repairing Hail Damage To Your Roof
Clear signs of damage should be addressed, even if there is no leak at the present time. Dents, cracks, and other problems may weaken your roofs outer layer and lead to problems down the line. This is especially true of shingles, which can turn from repellent to absorbent if the coating is destroyed.
Recommended Reading: Repair Roof Trusses
Repairing Roof Damage From Hail
Repairing hail damage can be difficult because the area may seem like its in good condition however, professionals who are familiar with different types of roofing materials will know how to identify problems.
Its important you hire a reputable company for your roof repair needs after hailstorms this is especially true if youve had any damage to your home. Its also good to ask your insurance company for a coverage on hailstorm damages.
Signs Of Hail Damage On Roof
Generally, Hail damages different amounts on different types of a roof so, there are different types of roofing materials like wood, asphalt, metal, slate, etc. These products are getting damaged differently by the hailstorm.
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How Does Hail Damage A Roof Your Roof Inspection Checklist
September 10, 2019 –
HomeNewsHow Does Hail Damage A Roof? Your Roof Inspection Checklist
Hail is a powerful force of nature, especially in south-east Queensland. But did you know even minor hail storms can damage your roof in subtle yet significant ways? These subtle signs of hail roof damage like shingle granules in your roof gutters or broken corners on your clay roof tiles are easy to miss. That is, until the damage increases over time, resulting in expensive roof leaks or an urgent need to .
Our roof inspection checklist will help you identify signs of hail roof damage. If youre a homeowner, this is a must-read! In this article, well explore all your burning questions, such as:
- How fast does hail fall?
- How does hail damage a roof?
- Can pea sized hail damage a roof?
- What is hail and how does hail form?
- What factors make my roof vulnerable to hail damage?
- What are the subtle and major signs of hail damage on a roof?
- What should I do if I discover hail damage on my roof?
- How do I know if I need a hail damage roof inspection from a professional?
- What are signs of hail damage to roof shingles?
Concrete Tile Roofing H4 Severe Rating
Concrete roofing, similar to metal roofing is suitable for hailstones up to 4 cm in diameter. However, according to a study by James Cook University, after the devastating hailstorm in South-East Queensland in 2014, found that of the moderate or severely damaged roofs, metal roofs made up 5% of these, as opposed to concrete tiles which made up 20% of damaged roofs.
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The Benefits Of Shingles Over Metal Roofs
The Benefits of Shingles Over Metal Roofs
Getting a new roof is one of those unavoidable expenses for homeowners, landlords and investors. Unless you buy another property and sell your home within a few years, replacing the roof will likely generate one of the biggest upkeep expenses youll ever face. Thats why so many people choose shingles because theyre a more affordable option than a metal roof. Shingle roofs rank as the most popular choice of homeowners, and investors. 75 percent of all roofs use asphalt or fiberglass shingles.
The Advantages of Asphalt Shingles
Many homeowners dont plan to live in their homes for long periods. Growing families, better jobs and career opportunities in other locations are common reasons to move or upgrade your home. Shingles are cheaper than metal roofing, and theyre also easier to install, so you save money on installation costs. If youre insuring your asphalt roof, its considerably less expensive than insuring a metal roof. The benefits of installing an asphalt or fiberglass shingle roof include:
Faster Completion
- Faster Completion Replacing a roof is subject to weather concerns. If you dont want to risk long delays in the installation process, shingles are the best option. It takes less labor and time to install or repair shingles. Asphalt shingles come prepackaged in different sizes and are installation-ready to be nailed to the deck.
Cheaper and Easier Repairs
More Contractors Available
Wide Availability
Customizations
Metal Is Not Hail Proof
If anyone tells you that metal wont be damaged by hail, theyre not telling the full truth. There are two things to keep in mind:
Metal cant withstand larger hail. Some of the hail that damages asphalt shingles wont put a scuff on the metal roof.
Metal wont suffer catastrophic failure like shingles will. Even hail that is extremely large, hail that dents the metal, wont cause your roof to leak. It may dent, ding, scuff, and scrape that metal, but its not going to poke holes through the metal and cause your roof to leak.
Also Check: Self-supported Roof Over Mobile Home
Hail Damage And Your Metal Roof
May 19, 2020
The Insurance Information Institute reports that, in 2019, the United States experienced 5,392 hail events with hailstones of one inch in diameter or larger. Those storms impacted millions of properties.
Some may assume that your commercial metal roof is just fine, and that any dents from hail are merely cosmetic issues. This may be true, but your roof could also have damage thats not immediately visible to the naked eye. Those dents need to be carefully inspected for additional cracks.
Fortunately, there are advanced aging tests that can be done to show that areas of the roof are not as sound as other areas due to hail. WaterTight Roofing has seen it all. Well work with you to document the extent and cause of damage, as well as provide necessary information about the damage and repair costs. You can provide this roof restoration information to your insurance for a seamless process to get your roof back to pre-storm condition.
The Homeowner’s Guide To Hail Roof Damage
Winter can cause stress for homeowners. Hail might be another type of winter weather.
Hail at is a type of ice fragment that can vary in speed, size, and appearance. Your roof may also be damaged, especially if the damage is not noticed immediately.
How severe can hail damage to roofs be?
Any hailstone can cause damage to roofs, depending on their condition and speed.
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Hail in the Shape of a Dime
Although hail is not usually dangerous, it can cause hailstones as small as a penny to tear asphalt shingles.
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Hail in Quarter Size
Hail between the sizes of a quarter of a dime and a dollar may not cause major damage but it can cause roof damage and accelerate erosion. Higher speeds are more likely to cause damage.
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Half-dollar
Any hailstone greater than a quarter of a gallon can cause damage to your roof.
How do you determine if hail
There is a wide range of roofing materials available, but most have the same basic characteristics. The majority of materials can be classified into asphalt/shingle, slate/ceramic or metal.
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Checks at the Ground
Inspect the area around your home for damage from storms. Do not wait until there is a leak to find out if your roof has been damaged.
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Examining Metal Components of Roofs
Hail damage can cause damage to your roof’s flashings and vents. Small holes, scrapes, and dents are all signs of hail damage.
Roofs made of asphalt or other soft tiles
Roofs made of slate or ceramic
Recommended Reading: How Do I Know If My Roof Is Leaking
Functional Vs Cosmetic Hail Damage
Cosmetic hail damage, on the other hand, is basically the kind of damage that doesnt affect roofing performance or service life. For instance, hail may hit a part of the roof and only cause minor granule loss, or dents in metal components such as gutters and vents. In most cases, what is considered as cosmetic hail damage doesnt require emergency roof restoration.
The Metal Roof Repair Process
Many cosmetic or functional metal roof dents and dings can be repaired through spot-patching.
Heres how this process typically works:
Step 1: The affected area is cleaned thoroughly
Step 2: A wire brush is used to scuff the affected metal, preparing it for cutting and sealing.
Step 3: The damaged section is cut out of the roof with a minimum, 2 margin on all sides.
Step 4: A color-matched metal patch is dropped into place and sealed with a urethane sealant.
Step 5: The treated area is given a final protective coating .
Sometimes, there are parts of a damaged metal roof that cannot be easily cut out and patched . In these cases, it is common to use an asphalt-impregnated fabric to mold over the damaged area.
If there are too many damaged areas to address with spot-patching, the next alternative would be to completely remove each damaged sheet of metal and replace it with a new one from the manufacturer.
Thankfully, most roofing material manufacturers can quickly ship replacement metal panels and joining hardware from their inventory. The more important factor to consider is who is going to do the repair work!
Read Also: Roof Replacement Cost In California
