Do I Really Need To Have My Roof Replaced After a Hailstorm?
Hail storms are quite common and may result in some of the most costly damages to your home. It is important to understand and know the damages that a hail storm can cause to your house and the repairs needed to get them back in shape. After a hailstorm, one of the first questions many homeowners ask is if their roofs need to be replaced after a hailstorm. Even though a roof replacement is not always necessary, there are some important points to keep in mind. At Crown Roofing & Solar Company of Wichita, we have years of experience in identifying hail damage, and helping Wichita homeowners restore their property from the damage.
Types of Hailstorm Damages
Hailstones are pieces of solid precipitation that are formed in the clouds and then fall to the earth. Hailstones falling on your house can have a negative impact for a number of reasons. While some hailstones are small as pebbles and do not cause much damage apart from a few dents, others can be dangerous. Some hailstones are as large as golf balls and can destroy your roof as they are the ones that bear the brunt of the impact.
The kind of damage to your roof will also depend on the type of roof you have. Metal roofs are quite tough and are highly resistant to hail damage. Even though the hail would not be able to penetrate through the metal roof, it can cause dents on it. When the hailstones fall on your asphalt shingles, they can wear down the granules that form the top part of the shingles. When these granules break, the roof becomes vulnerable to extreme damages. A lot of time, even a single large chunk of hail can cause a hole in the roof. Once your roofing system is storm damaged, water can start to peep into your home, causing major damages.
Identifying Hailstorm Damages
After a hailstorm, it is important to check your roof for signs of damages. Take a walk around your house and look for large dents or spots on the roof. You might even notice small granules in the gutters meaning they have broken off from the roof. The flashings and soffits may also be dented, cracked, or dinged when you look closely. If these are blocked, the water can seep into the foundation over time. A lot of times, there are brushings on the shingles that are hard to detect. But these will eventually break down if they are not repaired, leading to leaks.
Should I Have My Roof Replaced After A Hailstorm?
Even though the damage from a hailstorm is not immediate, the damage from it can greatly shorten the life of your roof. After every hailstorm, conduct a roof check on your own and look for signs of damage. If you find some damages and are not sure how to move forward, it is best to contact a professional and get a roof inspection done. One of the worst things you can do to your roof after a hailstorm is to assume that the roof is fine. By ignoring minor problems with the roof, you may only end up with expensive problems later on.
