If you have a hailstorm approaching your area, it’s not just your vegetation or vehicles that could be vulnerable to the damage. When hail arrives, it can cause some significant damage in some cases to your home’s roof or other coverings, as well as other personal property. According to a roofing contractor in central Florida, some of the factors that could affect how much damage your home sustains include:
- The size and density of the hail: Small little flecks of hail probably won’t cause any damage to your home, but when the hail gets especially large and dense, your roof and other parts of your home could sustain severe damage. Some areas have reported seeing hail the size of softballs or grapefruits. Because most hailstones are not smooth, that can result in further damage.
- Building materials: The type of materials your home is made from can also influence the total amount of damage. Hail is more likely to ding asphalt shingles and aluminum siding or gutters, but more likely to crack wood or vinyl materials.
- Wind: The speed of the wind and its direction can vary quite a bit during a hailstorm. The changes in wind conditions can affect where the hail hits and the amount of damage it does to your property.
How do I know if my roof has suffered hail damage?
Hail damage to asphalt or composition shingles, the most common types of shingles, often looks very different than hail damage done to wood shingles. It might be difficult to tell on first glance whether your home has been significantly affected by the hailstorm. Therefore, it’s important to know exactly what that hail damage looks like as you perform your visual analysis.
Asphalt and composition shingles that have sustained damage in a hailstorm will display the following symptoms:
- Random damage without any really discernable pattern
- Loss of granules in the shingles, which may result in the roof felt being exposed
- Black-colored areas where the hail hit
- Shiny appearance on the asphalt or matting
- Hail hits that appear soft to the touch, similar in texture to the bruise on an apple
Wood shingles, meanwhile, will also have random damage without any true pattern, but will also display the following characteristics:
- Splits in the shingle that are orange or brown in color
- Splits in the shingle that do not have any deterioration (or very small amounts of deterioration) at the edges
- Splits in the shingle with sharp edges and corners
- Various impact dents and other marks located along and around the splits
There are many other types of shingle damage that might be mistaken for damage caused by hail, including exposure to inclement weather and long-term exposure to sunlight, resulting in brittleness and an aged appearance. This is standard wear and tear, not damage specifically caused by a hailstorm.
For more information about the effects of hail on your roof, contact Winter Springs Roofing & Repair to speak with a roofing contractor in central Florida. We’ll be happy to answer your questions!